Otoneurological manifestations associated with antiretroviral therapy

Ototoxicity and antiretroviral therapy seem to be associated. The aim of this study was to evaluate this possible correlation. Evaluations were carried out on 779 medical records from HIV- infected patients who were being regularly followed up, of whom 162 were being treated with antiretroviral therapy and 122 were untreated ( controls). The patients undergoing treatment were older ( mean: 42 years), had had serological confirmation for longer times ( 80 months) and had smaller viral loads ( P = 0.00). CD4+ was similar between the groups ( P = 0.60). In the treated group, three cases ( 1.8%) of idiopathic hearing loss and two ( 1.3%) of otosclerosis- related hearing loss were observed, which both started after antiretroviral therapy. No statistical difference relating to idiopathic hearing loss was found between the groups. While descriptive studies consider possible ototoxicity associated with antiretroviral therapy, this possible adverse effect was not related to the antiretroviral therapy in this study. Conversely, otosclerosis might have been correlated with antiretroviral therapy. This issue deserves to be studied.