NCT04503889

Brief Summary

The effect of transauricular electrical vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) will be studied on temporal summation of heat pain (TSP) in 30 patients with chronic low-back pain and in 30 heathy volunteers. Participants will receive either taVNS or sham stimulation before and during TSP induction in a randomized crossover manner. The participants will be unaware regarding the type of intervention.

Trial Health

43
At Risk

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
60

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2019

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
unknown

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 23, 2019

Completed
1.5 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 31, 2020

Completed
7 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 7, 2020

Completed
1.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 1, 2021

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 1, 2021

Completed
Last Updated

August 7, 2020

Status Verified

July 1, 2020

Enrollment Period

2.9 years

First QC Date

July 31, 2020

Last Update Submit

August 6, 2020

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Unpleasantness of pain

    Perceived unpleasantness of pain, which participants will rate continuously during the repetitive heat stimulation using a computerized visual analogue scale (CoVAS, Medoc Advanced Medical Systems, Ramat Yishai, Israel) ranging from 0 (= not unpleasant at all) to 100 (= intolerable pain)

    Continuously 5 minutes during the experimental heat pain stimulation

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Heart rate

    10 minutes (before, during and after stimulation of heat pain)

  • blood pressure

    10 minutes (before, during and after stimulation of heat pain)

Study Arms (2)

Real taVNS intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

taVNS will be administered to cymba conchae of both ears using ECO2-TENS device

Device: Transauricular electrical vagal nerve stimulationDevice: taVNS sham

Sham

SHAM COMPARATOR

aVNS will be administered to lobes of both ears using ECO2-TENS device

Device: Transauricular electrical vagal nerve stimulationDevice: taVNS sham

Interventions

transauricular electrical vagal nerve stimulation will be applied to the cymba conchae of both ears using ECO2 TENS device (manufactured by Schwa-Medico GmbH/Germany) with currency intensity of max 10 mA and current frequency 2/100 Hz.

Real taVNS interventionSham

ECO2 TENS device (manufactured by Schwa-Medico GmbH/Germany)

Real taVNS interventionSham

Eligibility Criteria

Age30 Years - 60 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Patients with chronic low-back pain
  • age 30-60 yrs old
  • without heart disease
  • low-back pain intensity at least 4 out of 10 points measured using NRS-10
  • without cognitive deficits (Mini Mental State Shake \< 23)

You may not qualify if:

  • opioid medication
  • more than 1 low-back surgery
  • sensory of motor neurological deficits at the level of back pain
  • spinal stenosis
  • diabetic polyneuropathy
  • skin pathology at the site (cymba conchae) of stimulation

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University Medicine of Greifswald

Greifswald, 17475, Germany

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

  • Taras Usichenko, MD, PhD

    University Medicine of Greifswald

    STUDY CHAIR

Central Study Contacts

Taras Usichenko, MD. PhD

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Masking Details
Participants and outcome assessor will be unaware regarding the type (real or sham) taVNS intervention
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
CROSSOVER
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 31, 2020

First Posted

August 7, 2020

Study Start

January 23, 2019

Primary Completion

December 1, 2021

Study Completion

December 1, 2021

Last Updated

August 7, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-07

Locations