Mata-Castro N, Gavilanes-Plasencia J, Ramírez-Camacho R, García-Fernández A, García-Berrocal JR. Azathioprine reduces the risk of audiometric relapse in immune-mediated hearing loss.
Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp (Engl Ed) 2018;
69:260-267. [PMID:
29502794 DOI:
10.1016/j.otorri.2017.08.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Current schemes for treatment of immune-mediated hearing loss with sporadic short-course, low-dose corticosteroids, are insufficient.
METHODS
To determine the role of azathioprine in the control of auditory impairment, a longitudinal, observational, descriptive study was performed with 20 patients treated with azathioprine (1.5-2.5mg/kg/day into two doses) for 1year. The loss of 10dB on two consecutive frequencies or 15dB on an isolated frequency was considered as relapse.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 52.50years (95%CI: 46.91-58.17), half were women. Bilateral affectation was 65%. 75% had organ specific disease and 25% had systemic autoimmune disease. The difference between baseline PTA (46.49dB; DS18.90) and PTA at 12months (45.47dB; DS18.88) did not reach statistical significance (P=.799). There was a moderate positive correlation between female sex and the presence of systemic disease (R=.577). By applying Student's t for paired data, a significant difference (P=.042) was obtained between the PTA in frequencies up to 1000 Hz (PTA125-1000Hz). The relative incidence rate of relapse per year was .52 relapses/year (95%CI: .19-1.14]). The median time to audiometric relapse-free was 9.70months (DS1.03).
CONCLUSIONS
Azathioprine maintains the hearing threshold, decreases the risk of relapse, and slows down the rate at which patients relapse, altering the course of immune-mediated inner ear disease.
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