title: Audiometric evaluation of patients treated for pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the hearing status of patients being treated for pulmonary tuberculosis at referral hospitals in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a descriptive study involving 97 male and female inpatients/outpatients between 18 and 60 years of age who were undergoing treatment for active pulmonary tuberculosis at one of two referral hospitals in the state of Rio de Janeiro. After being interviewed, all of the patients underwent pure tone audiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 97 patients studied, 65 (67%) were male, 52 (54%) were receiving first-line treatment, and 45 (46%) were receiving second-line treatment, which included aminoglycosides. Smoking, alcohol consumption, exposure to noise, and ototoxic medication use were identified in 65 (67%), 51 (53%), 53 (55%), and 45 (46.4%) of the patients, respectively. The most common auditory and vestibular complaints were dizziness, in 28 patients (28.8%); tinnitus, in 27 (27.8%); and hypoacusis, in 23 (23.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the great number of patients with hearing loss in the present study, we recommend that all patients under tuberculosis treatment be submitted to auditory monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: Karla Anacleto de
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Marco Antonio de Melo Tavares de
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frota
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruffino Netto
authors.forename: Afrânio Lineu
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kritski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000617:Aminoglycosides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000995:Antitubercular Agents