Commentary
Kidney International (2007) 72, 231–232. doi:10.1038/sj.ki.5002299
N-Acetylcysteine in the prevention of ototoxicity
M Tepel1
1Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Medizinische Klinik IV, Nephrologie, Berlin, Germany
Correspondence: M Tepel, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Medizinische Klinik IV, Nephrologie, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: Martin.Tepel@charite.de
Abstract
Prevention of ototoxicity after the administration of aminoglycoside antibiotics has been notably difficult, in particular in patients with chronic kidney disease. Feldman et al. report that oral administration of 600 mg N-acetylcysteine twice daily significantly ameliorates gentamicin-induced ototoxicity in hemodialysis patients. That approach may help to prevent aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss in these high-risk patients in daily practice.
