Effect of irradiation on guinea pig ABR thresholds

A significant number of patients undergo irradiation to the temporal bone for malignancies. Conflicting reports exist regarding the effects of irradiation on hearing thresholds. Although radiation-induced otitis media and osteoradionecrosis of the ossicles with resultant conductive hearing loss are well-documented, there is disagreement regarding the effect of irradiation on sensorineural hearing. Previous animal models, relying only on behavioral tests and reflex thresholds, have failed to reveal consistent threshold shifts after irradiation. However, with the advent of auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing, a reliable objective measurement of hearing in animals is available. Hearing thresholds were determined bilaterally by ABR testing in 21 albino guinea pigs. The left temporal bones of sixteen animals were then irradiated with a total dose ranging from 5750 to 7000 cGy over 7 weeks. The right ears of these animals, plus both ears of five nonirradiated guinea pigs, served as controls. Follow-up threshold ABRs were obtained immediately post-irradiation (RT), and at 6 and 12 months post-RT. Average thresholds in all groups increased over time: 60 dB in the control group; 53 dB in the control ears of the irradiated animals; and 46 dB in the irradiated ears. There were no statistically significant increases in ABR thresholds for irradiated ears vs. control ears. At the 6-month followup, hearing was actually better in the irradiated ears than the control ears and this difference between ears was significantly greater than the difference at baseline (p < 0.026). Overall, there was no evidence that irradiation produces changes in ABR thresholds.