A case of bilateral hearing loss induced during interferon therapy

Abstract

We report a case of a sudden onset of a hearing disturbance during interferon therapy for type C chronic hepatitis. The patient was a 48-year-old man who developed bilateral hearing loss at six weeks after the start of interferon therapy. He was admitted to our hospital for treatment. We administered high-dose steroids and loop diuretics-vitamin therapy. This treatment regimen proved to be effective and his hearing ability returned to the same level as that before the interferon therapy was started. Interferon is widely used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis, gastric cancer and multiple myeloma, but side effects to the inner ear are not ordinarily reported. We therefore think that otorhinolaryngologists must thus be aware of potential inner ear disturbances of patients treated with interferon.