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Treatment of Erosive Digital Osteoarthritis by Transcutaneous Auricular Nerve Stimulation

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Erosive Hand Osteoarthritis

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03919279
Acronym
ADEPT
Enrollment
20
Registered
2019-04-18
Start date
2019-05-29
Completion date
2019-12-16
Last updated
2020-04-09

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Erosive Osteo-Arthritis, Hand Osteoarthritis

Keywords

Erosive hand osteoarthritis, pain, inflammation, vagus nerve stimulation

Brief summary

Erosive hand osteoarthritis (EHOA) is a subtype of had osteoarthritis characterized by inflammation and pain, with subsequent burden. Few symptomatic treatments are available in EHOA, while this population with EHOA has frequently comorbidities. Stimulation of the vagus nerve (VN), belonging to parasympathetic system, dampens pro-inflammatory cytokines production by splenic macrophages, through to the binding of acetylcholine neurotransmitter to α7nicotinic receptor on macrophages: this is the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP). Beyond its anti-inflammatory effects, VNS is analgesic in chronic pain disorders (headache, fibromyalgia). Beside implantable devices, VNS may be performed using transcutaneous stimulation of the ascendant auricular branch of the VN (tVNS) at the left ear localized on the cymba conchae tVNS is well-tolerated therapy avoiding invasive neurosurgery. The investigator do the hypothesis that auricular tVNS using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device could be a novel, simple and well-tolerated analgesic and anti-inflammatory treatment of symptomatic EHOA.

Detailed description

In symptomatic and inflammatory EHOA patients, we will apply tNVNS using device from Schwa-Medico (TENSeco2 + auricular electrode + conductive gel) 25 Hz stimulation will be applied, intensity escalated up to 15 mA or below if tingling sensation. tVNS will be performed 1 hour daily for 1 month and we will assess EHOA symptoms (pain and function) at 1 month (end of the study)

Interventions

tVNS using TENS device from Schwa-Medico (TENSeco2) + auricular electrode applied on the left ear (Schwa-Medico) + conductive gel class I; 25 Hz stimulation 1 hour daily for 1 month

Sponsors

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age≥18 years * Symptomatic HOA (1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria) * EHOA according to hand radiographs with ≥1 erosive digital joints of proximal or distal interphalangeal joint (phases E or R of Verbruggen-Veys score) * Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) for hand pain ≥ 40/100 at inclusion -≥1 interphalangeal joints symptomatic ≥ 3 months despite analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (or contraindicated) * ≥1 symptomatic interphalangeal joint with clinical palpable synovitis at inclusion * Informed written consent

Exclusion criteria

* Isolated thumb-base OA (ie, rhizarthrosis) * Hand osteoarthritis secondary to other known causes (eg gout, psoriatic arthritis) * Psoriasis * Current skin disease of the ear * Ear canal not adapted to apply the auricular electrode * History of severe cardiac disease (coronary artery disease, rhythm disturbance, heart failure, valvulopathy) * Conduction or rhythm disturbances on electrocardiogram * Symptomatic orthostatic hypotension or vasovagal syncope history * History of vagotomy * Pregnancy * Fibromyalgia * Use of other electrically active medical devices (eg pacemaker) * Documented sleep apnea * Use of corticosteroid (oral, intramuscular, intra-articular or intravenous), immunosuppressive agents, hyaluronic acid injection in interphalangeal joint within the last 3 months * Hand surgery planned during the study period * Pregnancy or breastfeeding if applicable * Oral NSAIDs consumption during the last 48 hours before inclusion

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Measure of Pain1 monthSelf-reported hand pain in the previous 48h measured on a 100 mm visual analogic scale (VAS). Scoring system: 0= No pain 5= Moderate pain 10= Worst pain

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Function1 monthquestionnaire Functional Index for Hand OsteoArthritis (FIHOA): scale minimum 0 , and maximum 30. Scoring system of the FIHOA: 0 = possible without difficulty 1. = possible with slight difficulty 2. = possible with important difficulty 3. = impossible
Side effect1 monthSafety : report of side effects during the study period
Mean time of daily use and cumulative time of use from the device's tracker1 monthObservance : Mean time of daily use and cumulative time of use during the 30 days before the 1 month visit collected from the device's tracker
Dose of daily consumption of paracetamol1 monthMeasure of Pain by daily consumption of paracetamol

Countries

France

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026