Trental for the Treatment of Vertigo/Dizziness/Imbalance

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2021-04-12
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Imbalance, dizziness and vertigo as a result of problems in the inner ear (vestibular dysfunction) are becoming increasingly more prevalent in Americans 40 years of age and older. The symptoms have a severe impact on affected individuals with detrimental effects on work, travel, social and family life. These patients see doctors often with no relief in their symptoms.

The most promising help for these patients is to use medication that will increase blood flow to the inner ear. Pentoxifylline (Trental) has been shown to increase microvascular blood flow.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Missouri-Columbia
• Treatments: Pentoxifylline

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adults 40 years and older

2. English as primary language

3. Diagnosis of multisensory losses, presbystasis, bilateral vestibulopathy, central vascular insufficiency, small vessel circulatory disease, generalized imbalance, and idiopathic peripheral vertigo scoring at least 16 on the Dizziness Handicap Inventory

4. Willingness to complete surveys and take medication as prescribed

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis of the following: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Meniere's disease, vestibular migraine with headache, intracranial mass, perilymphatic fistula, or multiple sclerosis

2. history of cholesteatoma

3. Prior ear surgery other than myringotomy and tube placement

4. Prior radiation to head or neck

5. previous use of vestibulotoxic medications where the enrolling provider determines the drug exposure to be the cause of imbalance

6. Use of blood thinning medications

7. intolerance/allergy to pentoxifylline or methylxanthines, as well as recent cerebral or retinal hemorrhage (past 3 months)

8. Pregnant or lactating females.