Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions and auditory brainstem responses sensitivity assessment in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats.

UNLABELLED Cisplatin (cis-diamminedicloroplatinum) is an antineoplastic drug used in the treatment of a variety of cancers, especially head-and-neck cancer. Its ototoxicity, however, has been noted as a common side-effect which limits its use and causes significant morbidity. AIM to assess distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) sensitivity to detect secondary ototoxicity caused by different doses and means of administration of cisplatin in rats. STUDY DESIGN Experimental. MATERIAL AND METHODS Male Wistar rats were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with 24 mg/kg cisplatin, divided into three equal doses (8 mg/kg) or a single i.p. injection of 16 mg/kg. The animals were evaluated by distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) or brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) on the 3rd and 4th days after the cisplatin injection. RESULTS Treatment with cisplatin 24 mg/kg resulted in significant DPOAE decrease and it raised the BERA electrophysiological threshold. The 16 mg/kg dose could not significantly reduce the DPOAE amplitude, but it raised the animals' hearing thresholds - detected by the BERA. CONCLUSION In rats, BERA was more sensitivity than DPOAE at detecting cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats considering different doses and means of administration.