Oral ethanol potentiates the loss of outer hair cells in cisplatin-exposed rats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the effect of oral ethanol on cisplatin ototoxicity.


METHODS
Twenty-seven-week-old, female Fisher 344 rats were divided into 4 experimental groups. The animals were administered per os (PO) saline (group 1), PO ethanol (group 2), PO saline with intraperitoneal (IP) cisplatin (group 3), or PO ethanol with IP cisplatin (group 4). After 3 days, scanning electron microscopy and counts of outer auditory hair cells were performed.


RESULTS
A 2-fold increase in outer hair cell loss was obtained in the basal cochlear turn of rats receiving concomitant cisplatin and ethanol compared with animals receiving cisplatin and saline. No hair cell loss was observed in the middle cochlear turn of any experimental group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support potentiation of ototoxicity when cisplatin is combined with oral ethanol.


CONCLUSIONS
Contraindications for alcohol use in cancer patients receiving cisplatin are implicated.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
Dilip
D
Madnani
Geming
G
Li
Christopher M
CM
Frenz
Dorothy A
DA
Frenz
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000633:toxicity*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018072:Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000431:Ethanol; D002945:Cisplatin