ReviewInternational archives of otorhinolaryngology2026
Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibitors: A Systematic Review.
Review in International archives of otorhinolaryngology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) can significantly impact quality of life. Recent studies propose a link between the use of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5is) and SSNHL emergence. Objective: To clarify the relationship between PDE-5i use and the risk of SSNHL development. Data Synthesis: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, two independent reviewers searched the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for articles up to December 2023 on hearing loss in PDE-5i users. Out of 190 abstracts initially identified, 6 met the inclusion criteria, totaling 54 patients aged between 37 and 62 years. One study involved 4 female participants, while the rest focused on 50 male patients. Sildenafil, vardenafil, and tadalafil were the most commonly used PDE-5is. All patients experienced sensorineural hearing loss, ranging from moderate to profound, with 4 patients (7%) noting tinnitus and 3 patients (5%), vertigo, in addition to the hearing loss. One patient experienced bilateral hearing loss 15 days after initiating sildenafil consumption. Corticosteroid therapy was the exclusive treatment in all cases. The long-term outcomes following the cessation of the medication were available in 7 cases: 4 patients (57%) had no improvement, 2 patients (29%) fully recovered, and 1 patient (14%) had incomplete resolution of the hearing loss. Conclusion: The current systematic review underscores the importance of monitoring hearing in PDE5i patients and advising them about the potential risk. Further research with larger samples and control groups is needed to establish a definitive causal link.
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Registered trials
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