The effect of low dose Aspirin on age-related hearing loss

Abstract

Salicylate, which is the active constituent of Aspirin, is usually used as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic drug. Moreover, people at high risk of heart attack take low dose of Aspirin daily1 as a mean of secondary prevention.2 With regard to its protective effects, Aspirin as an antioxidant appears to be neuroand otoprotective.3 However, studies show that administration of high doses Aspirin (325 mg) had an ototoxic effect leading to hearing loss.4 On the other hand, studies have shown that co-administration of Aspirin with gentamicin, which is considered to be ototoxic, had a protective effect against hearing loss,5 also animal studies have shown that NSAIDs in low doses can protect against cochlear injury due to noise and aging, but the effect on human is yet to be determined.6 In our study, we aimed to find out if administration of low dose Aspirin (81 mg) had a protective impact against hearing loss due to aging.