Methadone-induced bilateral severe sensorineural hearing loss.
Methadone, a long-acting opiate agonist, and naltrexone, an opiate receptor antagonist, are both commonly used to treat patients with morphine and heroin addiction. We present a rare case of methadone-induced persistent bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) after chronic naltrexone use and review opioid-induced hearing loss in the literature. Methadone-induced hearing loss has been described previously described in the literature with all reported cases recovering functional hearing. This is the first description of persistent bilateral severe SNHL following methadone ingestion. We propose opiate receptor sensitization from prolonged naltrexone use as a predisposing factor for methadone-induced irreversible cochlear injury.
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: nvorasubin@mednet.ucla.edu.
Nopawan
N
Vorasubin
Audrey P
AP
Calzada
Akira
A
Ishiyama
D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone