title: Does systemic steroid deficiency affect inner ear functions?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Today corticosteroids are employed for the treatment of various inner ear disorders. In this study we have investigated probable changes in hearing functions resulting from a deficiency of systemic steroid secretions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty four healthy female rats were used in our study, allocated into three groups (medical adrenalectomy, medical adrenalectomy+dexamethasone, no treatment). Audiological evaluations were conducted at the beginning of the study and on days 7, 14 and 21. Blood samples were taken at the beginning and at the end of the study and blood corticosterone levels were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While there were no significant differences between the basal, 7th, 14th and 21st day DPOAE values of group 1, their ABR threshold values showed significant increases. In group 2, there were no significant differences between the basal, 7th, 14th and 21st day DPOAE values. ABR thresholds of group 2 showed significant increases on days 7 and 14 as compared to their basal values, but there were no significant differences between the 21st day and basal ABR threshold values. There were no significant differences between the basal cortisol levels of the three groups. The mean cortisol level of group 1 on day 21 was found to be significantly lower than those of groups 2 and 3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study demonstrated that there were no significant changes in DPOAE values with the cessation of cortisol secretion, while there was a progressive increase in ABR thresholds, which could be overcome with cortisone replacement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bayrampasa State Hospital, Bayrampasa, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: dr.remzidogan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Remzi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşenur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merıc
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Audiology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozge
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gedık
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selahattin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tugrul
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sabri Baki
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Bezmialem Vakif University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozturan
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000172:deficiency*; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone