Int. Adv. Otol. 2009; 6(1); 53-59
The protective effect of methylprednisolone against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity: Comparison of route of administration
Ercan Pinar, Caglar Calli, Bulent Serbetcioglu, Semih Oncel, H. Alper Bagriyanik, Osman Yilmaz
Department of Otolaryngology, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital,Izmir, Turkey. epinar66@yahoo.com
Objective: We investigated the otoprotective effect of methylprednisolone against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity by comparing
the effectiveness of route of administration.
Materials and Methods: Thirty-five adult, albino guinea pigs were randomly divided into 5 groups and were treated as follows:
Group (1) received cisplatin alone 13 mg/kg, (2) intratympanic methylprednisolone alone, (3) cisplatin and intratympanic
methylprednisolone, (4) intravenous methylprednisolone alone, (5) cisplatin and intravenous methylprednisolone. Baseline and
72 hours post-treatment distortion product otoacustic emissions were measured. Cochleae were harvested and processed for
electron microscopic examination after completion of auditory testing.
Results: Mean post-treatment distortion product otoacustic emission amplitudes significantly decreased in group 1 at 6 to 8
kHz (p=0.000). There were no significant differences between pretreatment and posttreatment DPOAE amplitudes in group 3
animals suggesting that intratympanic methylprednisolone had an otoprotective effect (p>0.05). Although significant
otoprotection was not observed in group 5 animals, the measurements were close to significance (p<0.05). There were no
significant differences in emission amplitudes between before and after methylprednisolone injections in group 2 and 4 animals
(p>0.05). The electron microscopy observations demonstrated an increased intracytoplasmic myeline figures in the outer hair
cells in group 1 animals whereas normal morphology of the outer hair cells was preserved in group 3 animals.
Conclusion: These results demonstrate that intratympanic methylprednisolone protects against cisplatin ototoxicity