AuthorisedPhase III and phase IV (Integrated)Interventional

Corticosteroid in treatment of acute laryngitis among vocal professionals

This research study is investigating if a common steroid medication, prednisolone, can help people who use their voice professionally get over acute laryngitis more quickly. Acute laryngitis is when you suddenly lose your voice or it becomes hoarse, often due to an infection or overuse. The study aims to find out if taking 20mg prednisolone tablets speeds up recovery from voice problems and helps reduce any swelling or inflammation seen in the voice box (larynx), particularly on the vocal cords, when doctors look at them. This study involves adults aged 18 and over, of any gender. It's a late-stage study, meaning the medication has already been tested for safety.

At a glance

Status

Authorised

Phase

Phase III and phase IV (Integrated)

Sponsor

HUS-Yhtymae

Enrolment target

Start

29 Oct 2024

Acute laryngitis

What is this study about?

This study is looking into a condition called acute laryngitis. This is when your voice suddenly becomes hoarse or you lose it completely. It's often caused by a cold, a virus, or sometimes by overusing your voice, especially for people who use their voice a lot in their job, like singers, teachers, or public speakers.

The main idea behind this research is to see if a steroid tablet, called prednisolone, can help these professional voice users get their voice back to normal more quickly. Steroids are medicines that can help reduce swelling and inflammation in the body. In this case, doctors hope it will help reduce the swelling in the vocal cords which causes the voice problems.

The researchers will be watching closely to see how long it takes for a person's voice to return to normal after taking the tablet. They will also be using a special camera (called a laryngoscope) to look at the voice box and vocal cords to see if the swelling and inflammation go down. This will help them understand if the steroid is truly effective for this problem.

Key takeaways

This study investigates if a steroid tablet helps professional voice users recover from sudden laryngitis faster.
It aims to shorten the time you have voice problems and reduce voice box swelling.
Participants must be 18 or older, of any gender, with acute laryngitis.
You'll take a prednisone tablet and be monitored until your voice recovers.
The study could offer a quicker recovery for voice professionals.

Who may be eligible?

To be able to take part in this study, you need to meet a few simple requirements.

Firstly, you must be at least 18 years old. There's no upper age limit, meaning older adults are welcome to join if they meet the other criteria. The study is open to everyone, regardless of whether they are male or female.

Crucially, you would need to be experiencing acute laryngitis, which means you've suddenly developed problems with your voice. The study is specifically interested in people who rely on their voice for their profession, as they often need to recover quickly.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Do you currently have acute laryngitis (sudden voice problems)?
Do you use your voice professionally (e.g., singer, teacher, public speaker)?
Are you comfortable with taking a steroid tablet?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you'll be given a tablet to take. This tablet is a white, flat, round, uncoated tablet that's 9mm in diameter and contains 20mg of prednisolone. The main focus will be on monitoring how quickly your voice gets better and how long it takes for your vocal symptoms to disappear. You might have appointments where doctors will check your voice and potentially look at your vocal cords using a special camera (a laryngoscope) to see if any swelling has gone down. The total duration of your involvement isn't specified, but it would involve taking the medication and having follow-up assessments until your voice symptoms resolve.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in any study has potential benefits and risks. A potential benefit of taking part in this study is that the steroid medication might help you recover from your laryngitis more quickly than you would otherwise. However, like all medicines, prednisolone can have side effects, which your doctor will explain in detail. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without needing to explain why, and this will not affect your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

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Unverified
Finland

Common questions

What is acute laryngitis?

Acute laryngitis means you suddenly have a hoarse voice or lose your voice, often due to a viral infection or too much voice use.

What is prednisolone?

Prednisolone is a type of steroid medicine that helps reduce swelling and inflammation in the body.

Who can join this study?

Adults aged 18 or over, of any gender, who are professional voice users and have sudden laryngitis can join.

What will I have to do if I join?

You'll take a tablet and doctors will check how quickly your voice recovers and may look at your vocal cords.

Will taking part help me?

The study aims to find out if the steroid helps you recover faster from laryngitis, but this is what the research is trying to prove.