Vestibular and Postural Function in an Unselected Group of Children With Sensorineural Hearing Loss

NCT ID: NCT06229717

Last Updated: 2025-08-26

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Total Enrollment

48 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-08-20

Study Completion Date

2028-12-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this prospective cohort study is to investigate the vestibular function in children with unilateral or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The main hypothesis of the study is that abnormal vestibular test results will be found in 20-30 % of the children with sensorineural hearing loss. The participants will be children in the age of 3-10 years with sensorineural hearing loss. The test protocol consists of questionnaires and vestibular and postural assessments.

Detailed Description

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Balance problems in children are an overlooked issue in the Danish healthcare system. Dysfunction of the vestibular system, i.e. vestibular dysfunction (VD), can have significant consequences for children's development and quality of life.

In particular, children with sensorineural hearing loss are at risk of developing VD. Hence, VD has been reported in 14 % to 91 % of children with sensorineural hearing loss. The close anatomical and embryological relationship between the hearing system and the vestibular system may of course explain this correlation.

The investigators aim for a child friendly and reliable vestibular test protocol in the study. According to the investigators studies as well as international reports, the investigators have chosen a vestibular test protocol with Video Head Impulse Test (v-HIT), cervical and ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (c and oVEMP) as the tests are feasible, valid, and child friendly. To evaluate overall balance ability, the children are tested on a Computerized Dynamic Posturography.

The aim of the study is to investigate the vestibular function in children with unilateral or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Hypothesis: The investigators expect that abnormal vestibular test results will be found in 20-30 % of the children with sensorineural hearing loss.

Methods: The study is a prospective cohort study. Participants are a prospective, unselected group of children in the age of 3-10 years with either unilateral or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The participants are recruited at The Audiologic Clinic at Viborg Regional Hospital, Denmark.

All participants will go through a test protocol consisting of questionnaires and vestibular and postural assessments.

The primary endpoints are results of v-HIT, c and oVEMP, and posturography, which are compared to normative values. The secondary endpoints are prevalence of vestibular dysfunction and mean total Dizziness Handicap Inventory for patient caregivers (DHI-PC) score. A number of variables are collected such as demographics, developmental milestones, family history with focus on hearing and balance.

Conditions

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Children, Only Vestibular Disorder Vestibular Function Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Study Design

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Observational Model Type

COHORT

Study Time Perspective

PROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

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Children with sensorineural hearing loss

Children in the age of 3-10 years with either unilateral or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is recruited at The Audiologic Clinic at Viborg Regional Hospital, Denmark

video Head Impulse Test

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

For v-HIT, the Synapsys v-HIT Ulmer device is used.

Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

For cVEMP, the Eclipse (Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) is used. To bypass the frequent middle ear problems bone conduction stimuli (B-81, Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) are administrated. The bone conductor is placed on the mastoid process and two trials at 70 dB nHL are conducted to check waveform reproducibility. 500 Hz short tone bursts (2-2-2 ms) are applied at 5 per second stimulus repetition rate.

Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

For oVEMP, the Eclipse (Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) is used. To bypass the frequent middle ear problems bone conduction stimuli (B-81, Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) are administrated. The bone conductor is placed on the mastoid process and two trials at 70 dB nHL are conducted to check waveform reproducibility. 500 Hz short tone bursts (2-2-2 ms) are applied at 5 per second stimulus repetition rate.

Computerized Dynamic Posturography

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

To evaluate functional balance of the children and the relative contributions of the vision, proprioception, and vestibular system a CDP from Virtualis (Virtualis, Montpellier, France) is used.

Dizziness Handicap Inventory for patient caregivers

Intervention Type OTHER

DHI is a caregiver-reported 21- item questionnaire. It is designed to evaluate the perceived quality of life and handicap resulting from dizziness and unsteadiness for the pediatric population. For each question there are three possible answers: yes, sometimes or no. Each answer provides respectively 4, 2 and 0 points. The total DHI scores range from 0 to 84 with higher score being consistent with more limitation and more severe handicap. Scores under 16 are characterized as no limitation or handicap. A score from 16-26 present a mild perceived handicap and mild limitations. A DHI-score between 26-43 is classified as a moderate problem, and a score above 43 describes a severe perceived handicap and severe limitations.

Interventions

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video Head Impulse Test

For v-HIT, the Synapsys v-HIT Ulmer device is used.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential

For cVEMP, the Eclipse (Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) is used. To bypass the frequent middle ear problems bone conduction stimuli (B-81, Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) are administrated. The bone conductor is placed on the mastoid process and two trials at 70 dB nHL are conducted to check waveform reproducibility. 500 Hz short tone bursts (2-2-2 ms) are applied at 5 per second stimulus repetition rate.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential

For oVEMP, the Eclipse (Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) is used. To bypass the frequent middle ear problems bone conduction stimuli (B-81, Interacoustic, Middelfart, Denmark) are administrated. The bone conductor is placed on the mastoid process and two trials at 70 dB nHL are conducted to check waveform reproducibility. 500 Hz short tone bursts (2-2-2 ms) are applied at 5 per second stimulus repetition rate.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Computerized Dynamic Posturography

To evaluate functional balance of the children and the relative contributions of the vision, proprioception, and vestibular system a CDP from Virtualis (Virtualis, Montpellier, France) is used.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Dizziness Handicap Inventory for patient caregivers

DHI is a caregiver-reported 21- item questionnaire. It is designed to evaluate the perceived quality of life and handicap resulting from dizziness and unsteadiness for the pediatric population. For each question there are three possible answers: yes, sometimes or no. Each answer provides respectively 4, 2 and 0 points. The total DHI scores range from 0 to 84 with higher score being consistent with more limitation and more severe handicap. Scores under 16 are characterized as no limitation or handicap. A score from 16-26 present a mild perceived handicap and mild limitations. A DHI-score between 26-43 is classified as a moderate problem, and a score above 43 describes a severe perceived handicap and severe limitations.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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vHIT cVEMP oVEMP CDP DHI-PC

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Children in the age of 3-10 years
* Uni- or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss \> 20 dB bone conduction pure tone average measured at frequencies 0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz
* Written informed consent from the parents.

Exclusion Criteria

* Previous inner ear surgery
* Visual impairment to such a degree that the child is not able to maintain fixation on a dot one meter away.
* Congenital nystagmus
* Compromised eye muscle mobility
* VEMP-electrode allergy
* History of symptomatic head or neck trauma
* Prescription of medicine which alters vestibular outputs (for instance sedative antihistamines)
Minimum Eligible Age

3 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

10 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Gødstrup Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Signe Fiil Bønløkke

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Therese Ovesen, Professor

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

University Clinic for Balance, Flavour and Sleep, Department of ENT, Gødstrup Hospital, DK

Locations

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Gødstrup Regional Hospital

Herning, , Denmark

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Denmark

Central Contacts

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Signe F Bønløkke, PhD student

Role: CONTACT

+45 41405064

Facility Contacts

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Signe F Bønløkke, PhD Student

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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SFB-3-2023

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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