Healing of subacute tympanic membrane perforations in chinchillas treated with epidermal growth factor and pentoxifylline.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of the present study were to determine the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and pentoxifylline on subacute tympanic membrane (TM) perforations and to quantify the healing rate of such perforations treated with these drugs alone or in combination.


BACKGROUND
It is known that EGF modulates in vitro and in vivo proliferation of epithelial and endothelial cells. Pentoxifylline is a methylxanthine that has been used to treat experimental skin flaps and venous leg ulcers. Data in the literature regarding this subject are contradictory, and quantitative data regarding the effects of EGF and pentoxifylline on TM perforation healing are scarce.


METHODS
We studied 50 chinchillas submitted to TM perforation. On postoperative Day 30, eight were selected for histologic analysis. Of the remaining 42, those presenting little or no healing were distributed into four groups: control, EGF, pentoxifylline, and EGF combined with pentoxifylline.


RESULTS
Histologic analysis showed that the observation period adopted was sufficient to consider the TM perforations subacute. We found significant differences between the study groups and the control group in the healing rate of subacute TM perforations during a 30-day period (analysis of variance; p < 0.001), which was 30.3% for the EGF group, 3.6% for the pentoxifylline group, 16.5% for the EGF-pentoxifylline group, and 8.7% for the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of EGF promoted healing of subacute TM perforations in chinchillas, and the use of pentoxifylline did not. The combination of the two had no synergistic effect on the healing of these perforations.
Ramalho
Jeanne R O
JR
Department of Otolaryngology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. jeanneramalho@uol.com.br
Bento
Ricardo F
RF
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002682:Chinchilla; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D010431:Pentoxifylline