TY - JOUR A1 - Ibekwe, Matilda A1 - Nwosu, Chibuike T1 - Pure tone audiometric findings in patients on second-line treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis Y1 - 2016/9/1 JF - Port Harcourt Medical Journal JO - Port Harcourt Med J SP - 97 EP - 101 VL - 10 IS - 3 UR - https://www.phmj.org/article.asp?issn=0795-3038;year=2016;volume=10;issue=3;spage=97;epage=101;aulast=Ibekwe DO - 10.4103/0795-3038.197748 N2 - Background: The need for second-line antitubercular medication has been on the increase due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strain tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in our environment. Aim: This study was to assess the effect of second-line antitubercular medication on hearing in patients with MDR-TB. Patients and Methods: This is a prospective study of all the patients admitted to the MDR-TB center of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital between January and May 2013. All patients had pure tone audiometry done before and 3 months after commencement of second-line antitubercular medications. The second-line regimen used includes kanamycin, levofloxacin, cycloserine, pyrazinamide, and pyridoxine. Results: The study had a total of 28 patients. There were 14 males and 14 females. The age range was between 18 and 68 years. Different degrees of high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) were seen in 14 patients after 3 months' therapy. There were 13 bilateral and 1 unilateral hearing impairment, 2 patients had profound SNHL. However, a good number had involvement of the speech frequencies. Conclusion: Second-line antitubercular medication appears to have a tremendous effect on hearing. This raises a public health issue since there is a growing increase in MDR-TB in our environment. ER -