[Ototoxic factors requiring consideration in the diagnosis of occupational hearing loss]

In the practice of diagnosing occupational deafness resulting from noise effects of factors determining workers' hearing, such as living conditions, working conditions, nutritional and other habits, diseases and their therapy, are often neglected. Discussed in the paper are the significance and ototoxic effects of such factors as: aminoglycoside antibiotics, diuretics, salicylic acid derivatives, fenacetin, quinine, fluorine compounds, cytotoxic drugs, chemical compounds other than drugs (carbon monoxide, carbon disulphide, lead, organic solvents), ethyl alcohol, diseases (abdominal typhus, bacillary dysentery, diphtheria, brucellosis, epidemic parotiditis, poliomyelitis, rubella, aural shingles, syphilis, diabetes mellitus, chronic renopathies, hypothyroidism, serologic conflict, pigmentary retinitis). Exposure to intense noise is more and more frequently juxtaposed with the impact of the mentioned factors. If industrial physicians get aware of this association the prevention of deafness and reliability of treatment may be largely promoted.