title: Betahistine exacerbates amikacin ototoxicity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Betahistine augments cochlear blood flow and is currently used as an efficient therapeutic agent. Amikacin is used in a wide range of areas, but its ototoxic effect continues to be problematic. This study investigates the effect of betahistine on amikacin-induced ototoxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two healthy rats were randomized to 4 groups of 8 rats in each group (amikacin, amikacin+betahistine, betahistine, and no treatment). Amikacin was administered intramuscularly to groups 1 and 2 for 14 days. Betahistine was delivered by oral gavage to groups 2 and 3 for 21 days. Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests were conducted on all rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant decreases in the DPOAE levels and significant increases in the ABR thresholds of the amikacin and amikacin+betahistine groups on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days, as compared to their basal values. The DPOAE levels of the amikacin+betahistine group significantly decreased on days 7, 14, and 21, and the ABR thresholds significantly increased on the same days, as compared to the amikacin group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study implies that amikacin's ototoxic effects are augmented by the concurrent use of betahistine. Experimental and clinical research, supported by histopathological studies, is needed to affirm our findings.
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fadlullah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.affiliation: Bayrampasa State Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bayrampasa, Istanbul, Turkey dr.remzidogan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Remzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozturan
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yavuz Selim
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bayram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Veyseller
authors.affiliation: Karaman State Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Karaman, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yenigun
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Audiology, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozturk
mesh_terms: D000583:Amikacin / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001621:Betahistine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003051:Cochlea / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000583:Amikacin; D001621:Betahistine
keywords: ABR; DPOAE; amikacin; betahistine; ototoxicity