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Balloon Pilots' ears under the microscope: new study checks for noise & pressure damage

NCT ID NCT07200310

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Gaziosmanpasa Research and Education Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study checked whether hot air balloon pilots, who are exposed to burner noise and air pressure changes, have more hearing, eustachian tube, or balance problems than other adults. About 105 pilots and non-pilots took part in safe, non-invasive hearing and balance tests. The goal is to see if these work exposures are linked to ear issues, which could help improve safety advice for pilots.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If this study finds clear links, it could lead to better occupational health guidelines to protect balloon pilots' hearing and balance.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed observational study, not a treatment trial. It can show associations but not prove cause and effect, and results may not apply to all pilots.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

105 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2025

Finished

Nov 2025

Lead sponsor

A government agency

The lead sponsor is a government body.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Adults (≥18 years) in two cohorts: (1)(Hot-Air Balloon Pilots) licensed hot-air balloon pilots operating in the Cappadocia/Nevşehir region with ≥10 flights in the prior 12 months; and (2)(Controls) age-matched adults with no occupational or recreational exposure to significant noise, altitude, or barometric pressure variation (e.g., non-pilots, non-divers, non-cabin crew). Participants are healthy volunteers with otoscopic suitability (no perforation or active infection). Recruitment is via local pilot companies/registries and the surrounding community; all assessments occur at the SBÜ Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital ENT/audiology laboratory (single-center). Planned enrollment: 45 pilots and 45 controls.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥18 years (preferably 18-70). Pilot group: Licensed, professional and actively flying hot-air balloon pilots with regular flight over the past 12 months (on average 5 days per week and at least 20 flights in month), not using any hearing-protection equipment, and typically each flying et least 60-90 minutes. Control group: Adults without occupational or recreational exposure to significant pressure/altitude/noise (e.g., no mountaineering, scuba diving, or cabin crew duties). Otoscopic suitability for testing (no tympanic membrane perforation; no active ear infection). Exclusion Criteria: * Acute upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) or otitis at the time of testing., * High noise exposure within the past 24-48 hours (e.g., concert, workshop). * Tympanic membrane perforation; impacted cerumen that cannot be cleared; chronic suppurative otitis; presence of an active ventilation (tympanostomy) tube. * History of otologic surgery. * Menière's disease; significant otosclerosis; vestibular neuritis within the past 6 months; recent sudden hearing loss. * Significant neurological disease or history affecting balance (e.g., multiple sclerosis, stroke). * Use of ototoxic medications within the past 3 months (e.g., aminoglycosides, cisplatin). * Contraindications to cVEMP testing (e.g., significant cervical pathology or prior cervical surgery, uncontrolled hypertension, suspected advanced carotid artery disease).

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

eustachian tube disorder hearing loss disorder noise induced hearing loss vestibular disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Eustachian tube dysfunction Hearing loss, noise-induced Occupational exposure Vestibular disorders

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Cappadocia Field Site (Göreme) - On-site assessments at hot-air balloon pilot companies

    Nevşehir, Göreme, 50200, Turkey (Türkiye)

  • University of Health Sciences, Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (ENT/Audiology Laboratory)

    Istanbul, 34108, Turkey (Türkiye)

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