The combined effect of cisplatin and furosemide on hearing function in guinea pigs.

The effect of the combined administration of cisplatin and furosemide on the electrophysiological hearing thresholds and endocochlear DC potential (EP) was studied in guinea pigs. A lack of interaction was found in animals given repeated intraperitoneal injections of a low dose of cisplatin with a pharmacological dose of furosemide. An ototoxic interaction occurred when a moderately high dose of cisplatin was administered intravenously at a time when the strial function was most affected by a very high dose of furosemide. The interaction was seen both as a decreased EP and a pronounced shift of auditory thresholds. It is concluded that the stria vascularis plays a role in the ototoxic mechanism of cisplatin.