Gas Supply, Demand and Middle Ear Gas Balance -- Fly/Dive Simulation

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Middle-ear Barotrauma

In brief

This study will determine if newly developed and more standard tests of Eustachian tube function can identify those persons who have ear pain (barotrauma) or develop middle-ear inflammation and/or fluid (barotitis) when they are exposed to rapid changes in air pressure as, for example, during airplane flights or scuba diving. Up to 150 adults and children (10-50 years old) who fly or dive at least 1-2 times and experience ear pain or develop middle-ear fluid during those activities and approximately 60 adults and children who fly or dive but do not experience these problems will undergo Eustachian tube function testing during simulated flight and diving.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01976429

Run by

University of Pittsburgh

People needed

92

Starts

2014-12-02

Expected to finish

2018-12-04

Last updated by the study team

2019-08-07

Who can join

Age: 10 and older, up to 50. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• bilaterally intact tympanic membranes
• flyer or diver with middle-ear symptoms
• flyer or diver without middle-ear symptoms (controls)
• generally good health
• no recent history of non-activity related otitis media

You may not qualify if…

• existing middle-ear disease
• allergic rhinitis symptoms or "cold" on day of testing
• syndrome predisposing to otitis media
• history of ossicular reconstruction

Where it is running

• University of Pittsburgh Middle Ear Physiology Laboratory — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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