Re-telling the story of aminoglycoside ototoxicity: tales from sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Aminoglycosides, such as Streptomycin, are cheap, potent antibiotics widely used Sub-Saharan Africa. However, aminoglycosides are the commonest cause of ototoxicity. The limited prospective epidemiological studies on aminoglycoside ototoxicity from Sub-Saharan Africa motivated this study to provide epidemiological information on Streptomycin-induced ototoxicity, identify risk factors and predictors of ototoxicity. Method: A longitudinal study of 153 adults receiving Streptomycin-based anti-tuberculous drugs was done. All participants underwent extended frequency audiometry and had normal hearing thresholds at baseline. Hearing thresholds were assessed weekly for 2 months, then monthly for the subsequent 6 months. Ototoxicity was determined using the ASHA criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze socio-demographic variables. Ototoxicity incidence rate was calculated, and Kaplan-Meier estimate used to determine cumulative probability of ototoxicity. Chi-square test was done to determine parameters associated with ototoxicity and Cox regression models were used to choose the predictors of ototoxicity. Results: Age of participants was 41.43 ± 12.66 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.6. Ototoxicity was found in 34.6% of the participants, giving an incidence of 17.26 per 1,000-person-week. The mean onset time to ototoxicity was 28.0 ± 0.47 weeks. By 28th week, risk of developing ototoxicity for respondents below 40 years of age was 0.29, and for those above 40 years was 0.77. At the end of the follow-up period, the overall probability of developing ototoxicity in the study population was 0.74. A significant difference in onset of ototoxicity was found between the age groups: the longest onset was seen in <40 years, followed by 40-49 years, and shortest onset in ≥50 years. Hazard of ototoxicity was significantly higher in participants aged ≥50 years compared to participants aged ≤40 years (HR = 3.76, 95% CI = 1.84-7.65). The probability of ototoxicity at 40 g, 60 g and 80 g cumulative dose of Streptomycin was 0.08, 0.43 and 2.34, respectively. Age and cumulative dose were significant predictors of ototoxicity. Conclusion: The mean onset time to Streptomycin-induced ototoxicity was 28 weeks after commencement of therapy. Age and cumulative dose can reliably predict the onset of Streptomycin-induced ototoxicity. Medium to long term monitoring of hearing is advised for patients on aminoglycoside therapy.