Efficacy and Safety of Hydroxychloroquine in the Treatment of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phasePhase 2
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-70
SponsorChang Gung Memorial Hospital

About this trial

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is diagnosed when there's a sudden drop in hearing of at least 30 decibels across three consecutive frequencies, emerging within up to 72 hours. In clinical settings, steroids are the predominant treatment for SSNHL. However, the outcomes for patients undergoing steroid therapy for SSNHL can differ substantially. Moreover, a systematic review of randomized clinical trials has found no conclusive evidence pinpointing an effective treatment for SSNHL. Hydroxychloroquine, a derivative of chloroquine, is a medication that has gained attention for its potential role in modulating the immune response. We aim to see if hydroxychloroquine could augment hearing recovery in SSNHL under steroid treatment and to evaluate the safety of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of SSNHL patients. We plan to enroll 80 SSNHL patients who received oral steroid therapy and randomize them into an experimental group (hydroxychloroquine with prednisolone, 40 patients) and a control group (prednisolone, 40 patients). The primary endpoint will be the change in pure tone audiogram (PTA) in the affected ear from screening until 3 months. The secondary endpoints will be the change in word recognition score and the change in bilateral tinnitus severity after treatment. Any side effects will be recorded to ensure the safety of this clinical trial.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss ≥ 30 dB in at least 3 consecutive frequencies, compared to the contralateral ear, within 3 days

Enrollment has to be accomplished within 14 days after SSNHL onset

Male or female aged ≥ 18 to 70 years

Ability to understand and follow the study protocol

Disqualifiers

Pregnant or breast-feeding female

positive pregnancy test before receiving the study drug

Due to a history of physical efforts suspected perilymph fistula or membrane rupture.

Previously existing, known retrocochlear hearing loss

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Hydroxychloroquine

    Drug

    Oral hydroxychloroquine (400mg/day) for 2 months

  • Steroid

    Drug

    Oral prednisolone (5 mg) for 2 weeks (1 mg/kg/day for one week with gradually taper for another week with or without intratympanic dexamethasone 5 mg/ml injection for 2-4 times)

Treatment groups

80 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Hydroxychloroquine groupExperimental treatment 2 interventions
Group B: Control groupOther 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Hearing improvement

To evaluate if hydroxychloroquine could increase the hearing improvement

Time frame
from screening until 3 months

Secondary outcomes

1

Word recognition score

To evaluate if hydroxychloroquine could increase the word recognition score

Time frame
from screening until 3 months
2

Tinnitus severity

To evaluate if hydroxychloroquine could decrease the tinnitus severity

Time frame
from screening until 3 months

Other outcomes

Locations

This trial has no locations.

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

This trial is not recruiting at the moment. You can still explore other options: