N Orteu | PubMed Health

PubMed1992

[Ototoxicity of deferoxamine].

Deferoxamine or desferrioxamine (DFO) is a chelating agent, largely used in patients with chronic renal failure, although it has many side effects, being ototoxicity one of them. In this paper we studied the eventually adverse otologic effects of DFO in 20 patients receiving haemodialysis. A complete audiological evaluation, including pure-tone audiometry, brainstem auditory evoked potentials and high-frequency audiometry, was performed. The results showed a sensorineural hearing loss of retrocochlear origin in 3/20 cases (15%). We can accept that ototoxic effects of DFO are minimal, but no inexistent. Because of these we considered highly recommendable an accurate control of hearing in patients with renal disease receiving DFO.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

[Auditory evoked potentials in chronic alcoholism].

Prospective study of about 42 chronic alcoholics and evaluation, by means of auditory evoked potentials, of their auditive pathways. Checking of the damage at the outmost degree of the pathway, in alcoholic encephalopathy. Discussion and evaluation of the tracings.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Lactitol vs. lactulose in the treatment of chronic recurrent portal-systemic encephalopathy.

To compare the efficacy and patient acceptability of lactitol vs. lactulose in chronic recurrent portal-systemic encephalopathy (PSE), 25 cirrhotic patients with a history of repeated episodes of hepatic encephalopathy who required chronic administration of lactulose were included in a controlled cross-over clinical trial in which patients received, at random, lactitol (at an initial dosage of 10 g/6 h) or lactulose (15 ml/6 h, 66% w/v, containing 10 g of lactulose) during a 3 month period and then crossed-over to the alternative treatment for the following 3 months. Doses were adjusted to obtain two bowel movements per day. During the study period the daily protein intake was 40-60 g. Clinical and analytical data (including ammonia levels) were obtained, an EEG and the number connection test were performed and the PSE index was determined before treatment and monthly until the end of the treatment. No significant differences were found between the effects of lactitol and lactulose on the neurological and biological parameters, suggesting that the two treatments could be considered as equally effective. Lactitol was significantly better tolerated than lactulose (P = 0.02), the taste of which was assessed as being too sweet and provoking nausea. In conclusion, lactitol is a good alternative to lactulose for patients with chronic recurrent PSE, especially in those who do not tolerate the excessive sweetness of lactulose.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗