Hypothesis: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic time window of methylprednisolone in acoustic injury.
Background: Although glucocorticoids have been widely used in the treatment of acoustic injury, the therapeutic time window of glucocorticoids in acoustic injury has never been examined.
Methods: Mice were exposed to 4-kHz pure tone of 128-dB sound pressure level for 4 hours. Auditory brainstem response was examined before, immediately after, and 2 weeks after acoustic overexposure.
Results: Methylprednisolone significantly improved the auditory brainstem response threshold shifts 2 weeks after acoustic overexposure when it was administered before or immediately after acoustic overexposure, but not when administered 3 hours after acoustic overexposure.
Conclusion: The present findings suggest that methylprednisolone possesses protective effects against acoustic injury of the cochlea with a short therapeutic time window.