title: Hearing impairment after platinum-based chemotherapy in childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chemotherapy is used in the treatment of children and adolescents with malignant diseases. Some of the chemotherapeutic agents are highly toxic and may cause a number of side effects. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects on hearing in cancer survivors who had received platinum-based chemotherapy in childhood or adolescence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 297 patients, who had received treatment for cancer at the Children's Hospital, Landspitali University Hospital in Iceland between 1981 and 2006, were retrospectively reviewed. Fifteen subjects fulfilled the eligibility criteria for the study and underwent an extended audiometric evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that three of the subjects had a high frequency hearing loss. In one subject, we observed a hearing recovery just after the completion of chemotherapy, but the hearing deteriorated again some years later. Nine of the 15 subjects (60%) had tinnitus after the cancer treatment. An evaluation of subjective hearing disability and handicap (The Hearing Measurements Scale) revealed that some subjects had great difficulties with hearing in certain situations. The Hearing Measurement Scale showed that the pure-tone audiogram findings were only partly associated with the apparent hearing difficulties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular follow-up hearing examinations, which include both pure-tone audiogram investigations and subjective hearing disability assessments, should be performed during and after chemotherapy to identify subjects who require particular attention. This will ensure that hearing impaired individuals are provided with the most suitable listening devices, to promote good speech and social development.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland; Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. eje2@hi.is
authors.forename: Einarsson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Einar-Jon
authors.forename: Oskarsson
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Trausti
authors.forename: Haraldsson
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asgeir
authors.forename: Moëll
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: Wiebe
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Magnusson
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Måns
authors.forename: Kristinsson
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jon
authors.forename: Petersen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hannes
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin