Ameliorating Effects and Mechanisms of TaVNS on Constipation in PD Patients.

October 3, 2024 updated by: Kezhong Zhang

Ameliorating Effects and Mechanisms of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Constipation in Parkinson's Disease Patients: a Randomized, Double-blind Clinical Trial

The investigators intend to conduct a randomized, double-blind, sham-stimulation-controlled experiment, incorporating various clinical scales, gastrointestinal electrogram, and high-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM), to investigate the improvement effect of taVNS on constipation symptoms in PD patients.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The investigators intend to conduct a randomized, double-blind, sham-stimulation-controlled experiment, incorporating various clinical scales, gastrointestinal electrogram, and high-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM), to investigate the improvement effect of taVNS on constipation symptoms in PD patients. Meanwhile, the investigators aimed to verify mechanistic effects by investigating changes in proteins and cytokines related to inflammation and intestinal barrier function in serum and feces to verify mechanistic effects.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. aged 40-70 years;
  2. had a PD diagnosis designated by movement disorder neurologists (Ke-zhong Zhang and Yong-sheng Yuan) according to Movement Disorder Society Clinical Diagnostic Criteria;
  3. fulfilled Rome IV criteria for functional constipation, including having < 3 spontaneous bowel movements (SBM; i.e., not induced by rescue medication) per week for the past 3 months with symptom duration of at least 6 months;
  4. stable initiation of PD medications, leastways 3 month before this investigation; (5) provided written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. a history of previous abdominal surgery (other than appendectomy);
  2. the presence of carcinoma;
  3. any organic diseases causing constipation or neurologic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rachischisis, or spinal cord injury;
  4. taking antidepressant agents including tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors;
  5. a serious concomitant disease of the heart, liver, kidney, or diabetes;
  6. pregnancy or lactation;
  7. participating in another trial or enrolled in a trial during the past month;
  8. an allergic reaction to surface electrodes.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
For Experimental Arm, active transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, Patients underwent 28 consecutive daily sessions of taVNS.
Device: active Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation was conducted by transcutaneous electrical stimulation therapy instrument to the cymba conchae of left ear in the vicinity of the auricular branch vagus nerve. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20 Hz; pulse width = 500 μs, twice a day, 30 minutes each time.
Sham Comparator: Sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
For sham transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation arm, Sham Comparator, patients underwent 28 consecutive daily sessions of sham-taVNS (the electrodes were fixed at the the left earlobe).
Device: sham Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation
In the sham stimulation group, the electrodes were fixed at the left earlobe with the same stimulus parameters. Stimulation parameters: frequency = 20 Hz; pulse width = 500 μs, twice a day, 30 minutes each time.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
alterations in complete spontaneous bowel movements per week (CSBMs/week)
Time Frame: Assessed at 2 weeks before baseline, 2 weeks before the last day of intervention
By having patients record their bowel movements two weeks before the start of the experiment and two weeks before the end of the experiment, calculate the CSBMs/week.
Assessed at 2 weeks before baseline, 2 weeks before the last day of intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Scale for Parkinson's Disease (GIDS-PD) at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
The Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Scale for Parkinson's Disease is a novel disease-specific self-report tool to quantitatively assess the presence and severity of gastrointestinal dysfunction features in patients with PD, with strong reliability and validity. The GIDS-PD (Appendix S1) is a Likert self-report scale composed of 12 items. The total score of the GIDS-PD is computed by adding the total score of items 1 through 12, resulting in a minimum score of 1 and a maximum score of 108.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scales at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Used to evaluate the gastrointestinal symptoms and discomfort level of patients, from 0 to 105.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline constipation symptoms scores at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Used to evaluate the constipation symptoms , from 0 to 30.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life scale，PAC-QOL at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Used to evaluate quality of life, a total of 28 items are divided into 4 aspects: physiological discomfort, psychological discomfort, palpitations, and satisfaction. The PAC-QOL score range is 0-4, with lower scores indicating better results.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms questionnaire at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Used to evaluate the constipation symptoms , from 0 to 48.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline HRAM at one day post intervention--Resting pressure (mmHg)
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Following HRV test, HRAM was undertaken using a solid-state manometric instrument with 12 circumferential sensors spaced at 1 cm intervals and an outer diameter of 4.2 mm to evaluate anorectal sensorimotor function. Patients were asked to be in the left lateral position with the hips and knees flexed, and then the solid-state catheter was inserted into the rectum through the anal orifice. After a 3-minute period of stabilization, the sequential maneuver procedures are as follows: Resting pressure (mmHg), maximum squeeze pressure (mmHg). First-sensation volume, desire to defecate threshold, and maximum tolerance were tested by constant dilation of balloon
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline HRAM at one day post intervention--maximum squeeze pressure (mmHg)
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Following HRV test, HRAM was undertaken using a solid-state manometric instrument with 12 circumferential sensors spaced at 1 cm intervals and an outer diameter of 4.2 mm to evaluate anorectal sensorimotor function. Patients were asked to be in the left lateral position with the hips and knees flexed, and then the solid-state catheter was inserted into the rectum through the anal orifice. After a 3-minute period of stabilization, the sequential maneuver procedures are as follows: Resting pressure (mmHg), maximum squeeze pressure (mmHg). First-sensation volume, desire to defecate threshold, and maximum tolerance were tested by constant dilation of balloon
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline HRAM at one day post intervention--First sensation (mL)
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Following HRV test, HRAM was undertaken using a solid-state manometric instrument with 12 circumferential sensors spaced at 1 cm intervals and an outer diameter of 4.2 mm to evaluate anorectal sensorimotor function. Patients were asked to be in the left lateral position with the hips and knees flexed, and then the solid-state catheter was inserted into the rectum through the anal orifice. After a 3-minute period of stabilization, the sequential maneuver procedures are as follows: Resting pressure (mmHg), maximum squeeze pressure (mmHg). First-sensation volume, desire to defecate threshold, and maximum tolerance were tested by constant dilation of balloon
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline HRAM at one day post intervention--desire to defecate threshold
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Following HRV test, HRAM was undertaken using a solid-state manometric instrument with 12 circumferential sensors spaced at 1 cm intervals and an outer diameter of 4.2 mm to evaluate anorectal sensorimotor function. Patients were asked to be in the left lateral position with the hips and knees flexed, and then the solid-state catheter was inserted into the rectum through the anal orifice. After a 3-minute period of stabilization, the sequential maneuver procedures are as follows: Resting pressure (mmHg), maximum squeeze pressure (mmHg). First-sensation volume, desire to defecate threshold, and maximum tolerance were tested by constant dilation of balloon
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline HRAM at one day post intervention--maximum tolerance
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Following HRV test, HRAM was undertaken using a solid-state manometric instrument with 12 circumferential sensors spaced at 1 cm intervals and an outer diameter of 4.2 mm to evaluate anorectal sensorimotor function. Patients were asked to be in the left lateral position with the hips and knees flexed, and then the solid-state catheter was inserted into the rectum through the anal orifice. After a 3-minute period of stabilization, the sequential maneuver procedures are as follows: Resting pressure (mmHg), maximum squeeze pressure (mmHg). First-sensation volume, desire to defecate threshold, and maximum tolerance were tested by constant dilation of balloon
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline serum indicators at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
A blood sample was taken at 8 a.m. at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. For each patient, about 5 mL of blood was drawn into a procoagulant tube and 4 mL into 2 anticoagulant tubes with EDTA; it was centrifuged at 4°C and 1139g for 10 minutes and 5 minutes respectively. The serum in the procoagulant tube was divided into 3 portions, and the plasma in the anticoagulant tubes was divided into 2 portions - each about 0.5 mL - and placed at -80°C for assay within 6 months.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline feces indicators at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
placed at -80°C for assay within 6 months.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline The motor part of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale at one day post intervention
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
The measure mainly reflects the overall severity of Parkinson's disease motor symptoms. The minimum and maximum values of the motor part of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale are 0 and 108. A higher score means a worse outcome.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline gastrointestinal electrogram at one day post intervention--amplitude
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
A total of 8 leads cover the body surface projection of the stomach and intestines, which can reflect the gastrointestinal motility
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
Change from Baseline gastrointestinal electrogram at one day post intervention--frequency
Time Frame: Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention
A total of 8 leads cover the body surface projection of the stomach and intestines, which can reflect the gastrointestinal motility.
Assessed at baseline, one day post intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Kezhong Zhang

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Kezhong Zhang, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 15, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 30, 2024

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 30, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 30, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 2, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 4, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 3, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2024-taVNS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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