Prospective randomized double-blind comparison of nephrotoxicity and auditory toxicity of tobramycin and netilmicin.
Netilmicin or tobramycin was administered to 197 patients in a prospective randomized double-blind trial. Of these patients, 140 recipients of nine or more doses of netilmicin or tobramycin could be evaluated for nephrotoxicity. Fifty-five patients were able to cooperate in the administration of serial audiograms. Nephrotoxicity of similar severity developed in 7 of 73 (9.6%) recipients of tobramycin and in 7 of 67 (10.4%) recipients of netilmicin (P greater than 0.05). Mild or slight auditory toxicity developed in 5 of 28 (17.8%) recipients of tobramycin and in 2 of 27 (7.4%) recipients of netilmicin (P greater than 0.05).