Desferrioxamine-induced ototoxicity in haemodialyzed patients

Forty uremic patients on regular hemodialysis for 44.2 +/- 19.8 months were followed up audiometrically for ototoxicity of desferrioxamine [DFO] which was taken for the treatment of aluminum toxicity. The hearing threshold, especially at frequencies 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz and the speech reaction threshold were significantly increased, while the speech discrimination score was significantly decreased. On the other hand, the percentages of tinnitus and vertigo were insignificantly increased after DFO. It is concluded that DFO may precipitate sensorineural hearing loss that was found to be dose dependent. Thus regular audiometric examination has to be considered in hemodialyzed patients receiving DFO for early detection of its ototoxicity

Assessment of G6PD role in anaemia of chronic renal failure

Thirty cases of chronic renal failure were studied, 20 of them were on regular hemodialysis and the remaining ten were treated conservatively. These cases were subjected to full clinical examination, complete hemogram together with reticulocytic count and biochemical measurements as B.U.N., creatinine, calcium and phosphorus. Ten normal cases [control] were subjected to the same procedures. The results showed that non of these thirty cases exhibited decreased G6PD activity. On the contrary, there was a significant increase in G6PD activity in both groups of patients which is most likely contributed to the younger age erthrocyte population. Thus, it seems that G6PD has no role in anemia of chronic renal failure and its routine measurement has no place in the control and treatment of these patients