Status:

COMPLETED

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Systemic Lupus Erythematous

Lead Sponsor:

Rigshospitalet, Denmark

Collaborating Sponsors:

Aalborg University Hospital

Conditions:

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Autonomic Dysfunction

Eligibility:

All Genders

18+ years

Phase:

NA

Brief Summary

This trial uses a double blinded, randomized 1:1 (active:sham) placebo controlled, parallel group design, investigating the effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) in patients with sy...

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • Inclusion criteria
  • Reading and understanding Danish.
  • SLE diagnosis based on SLE disease classification criteria for at least 1 year.
  • Stable disease and medication the past 28 days as defined by:
  • No change in disease modifying antirheumatic drugs or biological therapy,
  • Receiving maximally 10 mg prednisone daily.
  • Having signs of fatigue, as assessed by scoring ≤ 40 in the FACIT-Fatigue questionnaire.
  • Having signs of autonomic dysfunction, as assessed by scoring one or more of:
  • VAGUS score ≥1
  • SUDOSCAN score \< 50µS for hands or \< 70µS for feet
  • COMPASS-31 score \> 12
  • Patients willing and able to comply with the scheduled visits, treatment plan, laboratory tests and other trial procedures.
  • Sign the dated informed consent documents
  • Exclusion criteria
  • Significant cardiovascular disease, including congenital cardiac disease, congestive heart failure, known severe coronary artery disease, or recent myocardial infarction (within 5 years), as assessed by a physician at the screening.
  • Blood pressure \< 100/60 or \> 160/105
  • Clinically significant bradycardia or tachycardia
  • History of abnormal baseline ECG, prolonged QT interval or arrhythmia
  • Previous surgery on the vagus nerve or abnormal cervical anatomy
  • Implanted or portable electro-mechanical medical devices, e.g. pacemaker, defibrillator, cochlear implant and infusion pump
  • Metallic device such as a stent, bone plate or bone screw implanted at or near the neck
  • Receiving active laser treatment for proliferative retinopathy
  • Active cancer or cancer in remission
  • History of brain tumor, aneurysm, bleed, head trauma, clinically significant syncope or seizures
  • Any clinical abnormalities that, in the opinion of the investigator, may increase the risk associated with trial participation or may interfere with the interpretation of the trial results.
  • Participation in other clinical trials less than three months prior to inclusion, unless such a participation is judged to have no influence on the recordings
  • Female pregnancy (positive urine-HCG), ongoing lactation or intended pregnancy during the study period.
  • A pregnancy test is conducted at first and last visit to ensure that fertile female patients are not pregnant during the study period.
  • Further, the investigator ensures that fertile female patients use a safe contraception method during the study and for at least 15 hours after termination of the study period. Safe contraception: The combined oral contraceptive pill; intra uterine device; gestagen injection; subdermal implantation; hormone vaginal ring; and transdermal plaster.
  • Male patients who intend to father a child during the course of the study

Exclusion

    Key Trial Info

    Start Date :

    August 24 2022

    Trial Type :

    INTERVENTIONAL

    Allocation :

    ACTUAL

    End Date :

    August 23 2023

    Estimated Enrollment :

    75 Patients enrolled

    Trial Details

    Trial ID

    NCT05315739

    Start Date

    August 24 2022

    End Date

    August 23 2023

    Last Update

    September 26 2025

    Active Locations (1)

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    Rigshospitalet

    Copenhagen, Denmark, 2100