title: Instability Due to Drug-Induced Vestibulotoxicity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The therapeutic use of ototoxic drugs is relatively common, particularly in patients with severe diseases. It is likely that disturbances of balance in these patients are underestimated by clinicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  The purpose of this study was to identify drugs involved in the vestibulotoxic origin of instability in a group of 18 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six patients showed both cochlear and vestibular damage, while 12 were affected only by posterior labyrinthine damage. Four groups of drugs were identified: antibiotics (nine patients), cytostatics (four), anti-tuberculosis medicinal products (three), and other drugs (two). Cytostatics were involved in many cases studied, a fact scarcely reported before.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to ensure an early diagnosis to prevent ototoxic effects induced by drugs. We propose that patients receiving potential ototoxic drugs undergo cochlear and vestibular assessments. Further, we recommend that patients with instability undergo vestibular rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Toxicology, Department of Pathology and Forensic Sciences, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. andres.soto@usc.es.
authors.forename: Inés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Sellero
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soto-Varela
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D054697:Cytostatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D054697:Cytostatic Agents