The STARFISH trial is exploring the way that different treatments help to restore hearing follow sudden hearing loss. Participants across the UK in NHS hospitals will receive different types of steroid treatment, and we will closely follow everyone taking part, including specialist hearing tests at hospital and online home testing. Questionnaires will also monitor the effects of the hearing loss and other symptoms on daily activities.
For most participants, taking part in STARFISH will not mean any additional hospital trips beyond those normally required.
You can only enter the trial once you have been referred to a participating hospital ENT team.
Inclusion Criteria
- Adults aged 18 years or over
- Diagnosis of new-onset ISSNHL: a new increase in sensorineural thresholds of 30
decibels (dBHL) or greater affecting each of 3 contiguous pure-tone frequencies
(out of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 kilohertz (kHz)) confirmed with a pure tone
audiogram, having an onset over a period of 3 days or less according to the
patient’s history* - Onset of hearing loss within four weeks of randomisation.
- English spoken as a first or second language
More information can be found here