NCT05405842

Transauricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation; Functional Dyspepsia and Gastroparesis

Effects of Transauricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Electrogastrography (EGG) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in Healthy Subjects, Functional Dyspepsia, and Gastroparesis

• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 0 (actual)
• Sponsor: Stanford University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this study is to establish parameters of gastric myoelectrical activity and heart rate variability in healthy human subjects and compare and contrast them to those with gastroparesis and functional dyspepsia, at baseline and following taVNS.

Detailed description

This is a prospective pilot study assessing the relationship of electrogastrography and heart rate variability, with transauricular stimulation of the vagal nerve in healthy subjects compared to gastroparesis and functional dyspepsia patients. The investigators plan to recruit a total of 60 patients: 20 healthy volunteers, 20 gastroparesis, and 20 functional dyspepsia patients. Participants will undergo two testing sessions in which electrogastrography (EGG) and heart rate variability (HRV) will be measured using electrodes following transauricular vagal nerve stimulation (tAVNS) at various frequencies.

Conditions

• Gastroparesis
• Functional Dyspepsia
• Healthy
• Digestive System Disease
• Gastroenterology

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Transauricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation	TENS 7000 is a handheld device used to deliver electrical impulses for nerve stimulation to help modulate and treat chronic pain. The manufacturer, Roscoe, has regulatory approval for the use of nerve stimulator therapy in the acute and/or prophylactic treatment of headaches, migraines, sciatica, muscle spasms, acute and chronic pain, and improve circulation. It is FDA approved in the USA for the above indications, but has not been approved for use in gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroparesis or functional dyspepsia. It has been registered as an investigational new device in various clinical trials. The purpose of this protocol is to provide vagal nerve stimulation to patients with gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, and healthy controls as a comparison.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-01-01
• Primary completion: 2025-01-01
• Completion: 2025-09-01
• First posted: 2022-06-06
• Last updated: 2025-08-03

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study