NCT05543239

Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Radiotherapy-Related Neuropathic Pain

Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Radiotherapy-Related Neuropathic Pain in Patients With Head and Neck Cancers: A Multi-center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Trial

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 116 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial aims to investigate the effect and safety of TaVNS in treating radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain.

Detailed description

Radiotherapy-related neuropathic pain(RRNP) is one of the most distressing complications after radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. The prevalence of neuropathic pain in cancer pain patients is as high as 31-45%.Our previous RCT of pregabalin for RRNP showed that nearly 41.6% of patients still did not achieve 30% pain relief even with standard doses of pregabalin. At the same time, drug side effects such as dizziness and obesity are common, and a dose titration process for at least one week is required.Therefore, new treatments that effectively relieve pain and improve quality of life must be explored. Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (TaVNS) works by stimulating the auricular branches of the vagus nerve through electrical impulses. Previous studies have shown it can relieve various pains including migraine, cluster headache, musculoskeletal pain with few adverse events. This study plans to evaluate the efficacy of TaVNS versus sham stimulation for relieving RRNP, and assessed its safety.

Conditions

• Neuropathic Pain
• Radiotherapy Side Effect

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation(TaVNS)	Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (TaVNS) works by stimulating the auricular branches of the vagus nerve (mainly distributed in the concha cavity and conchae) through electrical impulses.Electrodes were placed on the concha of the left ear after cleaning the skin of the concha with a small disposable alcohol pad. Stimulation pulses (frequency 30 Hz, pulse width 300 us) were generated by TaVNS device, the amplitude was increased within 30 seconds to the subject produced a tingling sensation, and then descend within 15 seconds to the maximum tolerable amount without pain. Inform the subject that "target stimulus has been reached", then stimulate for 30 minutes.
DEVICE	Sham Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation(SS)	Place electrodes on the concha of the left ear after cleaning the skin of the concha with a small disposable alcohol pad. The same stimulation pulses (30 Hz frequency, 300 us pulse width) were generated by the same device, the amplitude was increased within 30 seconds to the subject produced a tingling sensation, and then ramps down to zero stimulus over 15 seconds. The subjects were told that "the target stimulus has been reached". Patients receive sham stimulation for 30minutes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-09-16
• Primary completion: 2023-11-01
• Completion: 2024-03-01
• First posted: 2022-09-16
• Last updated: 2022-10-12

Locations

4 sites across 1 country: China