Can aspirin protect or at least attenuate gentamicin ototoxicity in humans?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and prove that Aspirin as an antioxidant protects, or at least attenuates Gentamicin ototoxicity in humans.

METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-blind trial was conducted in 60 patients that completed all requirements. This study was conducted in the Department of Otolaryngology and Orthopedics, Besat Hospital, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran, between December 2007 and November 2008. The patients were divided into 2 groups, the experimental and the control groups that were similar with respect to gender, age, and weight. The treatment group received 1.5 g/day (500 mg every 8 hours) Aspirin, and the control group received placebo similar to the other group.

RESULTS: Comparison of the pure tone audiometry (PTA) at 1000 Hertz (Hz) (p=0.03), 2000 Hz (p=0.003), 4000 Hz (p=0.001), and 8000 Hz (p=0.0010) showed significant differences between mean of PTA at the beginning, 8th, and 15th day. The threshold of PTA at 250Hz was significantly different only at the 8th and 15th day (p=0.004), also at the frequency of 500Hz, the difference between the beginning within 15th day and 8th day with 15th day was significant (p=0.001).

CONCLUSION: In the present study, we had shown that Aspirin can protect the ototoxic effect of gentamicin in patients.