Prospective Exploratory Evaluation of Audiovestibular Function in Patients Receiving Oral Isotretinoin Using Audiometry and Videonystagmography.

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively evaluate possible audiovestibular changes associated with short-term oral isotretinoin therapy using pure-tone audiometry and selected videonystagmography (VNG)-based vestibular assessments.

METHODS

Participants older than 18 years receiving oral isotretinoin therapy constituted the study group. All participants underwent detailed otorhinolaryngological examination, along with pure-tone audiometry and tympanometric analysis, prior to treatment initiation and after three months of therapy. Vestibular assessment included VNG-based spontaneous nystagmus analysis, gaze testing, positional testing, and oculomotor evaluations.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients were included in the analysis (11 males and 22 females). The median age was 20.0 years (interquartile range: 3.0). Comparison of pre- and post-treatment audiometric data demonstrated no significant changes across frequencies ranging from 250 to 8000 Hz, nor in pure-tone average, high-frequency average, or low-frequency average pure-tone average, high-frequency average, or low-frequency average values. A significant change was observed at 6000 Hz in the right ear; however, this finding was not clinically meaningful and likely reflected minor distributional variation between paired measurements. Selected VNG-based vestibular assessments, including spontaneous nystagmus, gaze, positional, and oculomotor testing, remained within normal limits throughout the study period.

CONCLUSION

Within the limitations of this exploratory pilot study, short-term oral isotretinoin therapy did not demonstrate clinically significant abnormalities in audiometric measurements or selected VNG-based vestibular assessments.