Individual variation and mechanism of kanamycin ototoxicity in rabbits.

In order to elucidate the mechanism of individual variation of kanamycin ototoxicity, the possible relationship between the outer hair cell damage induced by kanamycin and the levels of kanamycin in serum or perilymph and of renal damage was investigated in rabbits. No relationship was found between the extent of the outer hair cell damage and the level of kanamycin in the serum or the renal damage. The extent of the outer hair cell damage was closely correlated to the levels of kanamycin in the perilymph. These findings suggest that the individual variations in the outer hair cell damage induced by kanamycin are more closely correlated to the individual differences in the transferability of kanamycin into inner ear than to those in the vulnerability of the outer hair cells or kidneys.