Research project This study investigates whether treatment with cortisone works better than placebo for vestibular neuritis. The study is being conducted as a collaborative project in Sweden, Norway and Denmark and will include 400 participants over 36 months.
Vestibular neuritis affects approximately 3,000 people in Sweden, Norway and Denmark each year. The condition can lead to long-term balance disorders, suffering and sick leave. Vestibular neuritis is treated with cortisone in some, but not all centers around the world. The reason for this is that the results from earlier studies have been inconclusive. It is important to find out whether or not the treatment has an effect, since cortisone can cause adverse effects.
The study investigates whether a 10-day oral cortisone course is better than placebo for vestibular neuritis. An established and clinically relevant patient-reported symptom rating scale for dizziness will be used as the primary outcome. A number of secondary outcomes, such as digitalized measurements of balance function and biomarkers in blood samples, will also be analyzed.
After completion of the study, the results can be used to determine if cortisone treatment improves the outcomes after vestibular neuritis or not. This will have an immediate impact on clinical practice both locally and internationally. We will also be able to use the study results to learn more about why people get vestibular neuritis, and how the healing processes in the balance nerves and the brain develop over time.
