Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity: effect of intratympanic dexamethasone injections.
OBJECTIVE
Intratympanic (IT) application of dexamethasone will reduce ototoxicity associated with systemic cisplatin therapy.


BACKGROUND
Cisplatin is a common chemotherapeutic drug often dose-limited by ototoxicity attributed to the formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species damaging critical inner ear structures. Steroids have been shown to reduce formation of reactive oxygen species and thus may reduce ototoxicity. In the present pilot study, we test this hypothesis by IT administration of dexamethasone in a novel murine model of cisplatin ototoxicity.


METHODS
Click- and pure-tone-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) in young CBA/J mice were measured. The first phase consisted of a dosing study to identify the optimal cisplatin dose for ototoxicity. In the next phase, ABR thresholds were measured in cisplatin-treated mice after 5 days of IT injection of 24 mg/ml of dexamethasone in 1 ear and normal saline in the opposite ear to serve as controls.


RESULTS
Intraperitoneal injection of 14 mg/kg of cisplatin induces significant hearing loss (click-evoked ABR threshold elevation = 12 +/- 7 dB, mu +/- standard error of the mean) with acceptable mortality (20%). The ears that received IT dexamethasone in cisplatin-treated mice had minimal ABR threshold shifts with the click, 8 and 16 kHz of stimuli. There was no significant difference between IT dexamethasone and IT saline ears at 32 kHz.


CONCLUSIONS
IT dexamethasone protected the mouse ear against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in a frequency-dependent manner. The present results suggest that IT dexamethasone may be a safe, simple, and effective intervention that minimizes cisplatin ototoxicity without interfering with the chemotherapeutic actions of cisplatin.
Hill
Gerhard W
GW
Division of Otolaryngology, Departments of Surgery, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.
Morest
D Kent
DK
Parham
Kourosh
K
D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000139:chemically induced; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
D003907:Dexamethasone; D002945:Cisplatin