Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28566193›Full record

Trial reportBrain stimulation

Efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation over primary motor cortex (anode) and contralateral supraorbital area (cathode) on clinical pain severity and mobility performance in persons with knee osteoarthritis: An experimenter- and participant-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled pilot clinical study.

Hyochol Ahn, Adam J Woods, Mark E Kunik, Abhishek Bhattacharjee, Zhiguo Chen, Eunyoung Choi, Roger B Fillingim

3 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Brain stimulation. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 61 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
61citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
4.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT02512393 nacompletednot on this map

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Older Persons With Knee Pain: Randomized Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe University of Texas Health Science Center, HoustonRan2015 to 2016Enrolled40ConditionsKnee OsteoarthritisArmsActive tDCS, Sham tDCS
NCT04320875 naunknown statusnot on this map

Stimulate Brain to Reduce Pain Among Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

TypeinterventionalSponsorMaharishi Markendeswar University (Deemed to be University)Ran2022 to 2024Enrolled80ConditionsKnee OsteoarthritisArmsTranscranial direct current stimulation, Conventional Physiotherapy
NCT07303998 narecruitingnot on this map

Feasibility and Effect of Remotely Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation With Chair Yoga for Chronic Knee Pain Management in Older Adults With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of ArizonaRan2025 to 2026Enrolled40ConditionsAlzheimer&Amp, #39, s Disease, Other DementiasArmsActive tDCS paired with active online chair yoga
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

61 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 102 citations in OpenAlex.

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  3. Brain stimulation targets for chronic pain: Insights from meta-analysis, functional connectivity and literature review.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2024
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  5. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for chronic pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
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  6. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for chronic pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
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  7. Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Individualized Physical Therapy on Pain and Function in Individuals With Chronic Knee Pain: A Pilot Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026
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  14. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Central Pain Responses in a Nonpharmacologic Treatment Trial of Osteoarthritis.Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging · 2020
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1 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Hyochol AhnThe University of Texas Health Science Center, School of Nursing at Houston, Houston, TX, United States. Electronic address: Hyochol.Ahn@uth.tmc.edu.
Adam J WoodsUniversity of Florida Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Mark E KunikBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA HSR&D Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Houston, TX, United States.
Abhishek BhattacharjeeUniversity of Florida Department of Statistics, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Zhiguo ChenUniversity of Florida Department of Statistics, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Eunyoung ChoiEpic Health Services, Houston, TX, United States.
Roger B FillingimUniversity of Florida Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, Gainesville, FL, United States.
University of Florida · USCenter for Innovation · USThe University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston · US

Funding

Using social networks to map and evaluate team science across CTSA hubsUL1TR001427 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI MITCHELL, DUANE A. · 2015 to 2024
$37.2M
University of Florida Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC)P30AG028740 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI Karyn A Esser, Todd Manini · 2007 to 2026
$22.8M
Augmenting Cognitive Training in Older Adults - The ACT GrantR01AG054077 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI COHEN, RONALD A, MARSISKE, MICHAEL · 2016 to 2020
$6.9M
Neuromodulation of Cognition in Older AdultsK01AG050707 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI WOODS, ADAM J. · 2016 to 2020
$613k
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001427NIA NIH HHS K01 AG050707NIA NIH HHS P30 AG028740NIA NIH HHS R01 AG054077
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious studies indicate that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with anode over motor cortex (M1) and cathode over contralateral supraorbital region (SO) may be effective in reducing pain, but these studies are limited in number and have not focused on older adults with osteoarthritis (OA).

objectiveTo evaluate the preliminary efficacy and safety of M1-SO applied tDCS on clinical pain severity and mobility performance in adults with knee OA pain.

methodsForty 50- to 70-year-old community-dwelling participants with knee OA were randomly assigned to receive five daily sessions of 2 mA tDCS for 20 min (n = 20) or sham tDCS (n = 20). We measured clinical pain severity via Numeric Rating Scale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. In addition, we measured mobility performance using the 6-Minute Walk Test and the Short Physical Performance Battery. Moreover, we obtained a sensation/safety questionnaire and measured cognition changes using the PROMIS-Applied Cognition-Abilities-Short Form 8a.

resultsActive tDCS over M1-SO significantly reduced Numeric Rating Scale of pain compared to sham tDCS after completion of the five daily sessions, and remained up to three weeks. No other measures were significantly different from sham. Participants tolerated tDCS over M1-SO well without serious adverse effects or cognition changes.

conclusionAlthough not consistent in all pain measurements, our findings demonstrate promising clinical efficacy for reduction in pain perception for older adults with knee OA.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02512393.

Indexed as

Severity of Illness IndexAgedElectrodesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedMotor CortexOsteoarthritis, KneePainPain ManagementPain MeasurementPilot ProjectsPlacebosSingle-Blind MethodPlacebosKnee osteoarthritisMobility performancePainSafetyTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID28566193
PMCPMC5568498
OpenAlexW2615988866

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.