Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29190741›Full record

Trial reportPloS one2017

Preoperative transcranial direct current stimulation: Exploration of a novel strategy to enhance neuroplasticity before surgery to control postoperative pain. A randomized sham-controlled study.

Hugo Ribeiro, Ricardo Bertol Sesterhenn, Andressa de Souza, Ana Claudia de Souza, Monique Alves, Jessica Catarina Machado, Nathalia Bofill Burger, Iraci Lucena da Silva Torres, Luciana Cadore Stefani, Felipe Fregni and 1 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02360462 (The Effect of tDCS in the Preoperative Period of Hallux Valgus Surgical Treatment), which is not on this map. Cited by 20 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 13% 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.

NCT02360462 nacompletednot on this map

The Effect of tDCS in the Preoperative Period of Hallux Valgus Surgical Treatment

TypeinterventionalSponsorHospital de Clinicas de Porto AlegreRan2014 to 2016Enrolled40ConditionsChronic Pain, Hallux ValgusArmsActive tDCS, Sham tDCS
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.

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  8. A review of descending pain modulation in humans.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026
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  11. Perioperative Anxiety and Depression in Older Adults: Epidemiology and Treatment.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2023
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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

11 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Hugo RibeiroDepartment of Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Pain & Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Ricardo Bertol SesterhennSurgery Department, Hospital Independência, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Andressa de SouzaDepartment of Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Pain & Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Ana Claudia de SouzaDepartment of Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Pain & Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Monique AlvesSurgery Department, Hospital Independência, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Jessica Catarina MachadoPostgraduate Program in Health and Human Development, La Salle University Center, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Nathalia Bofill BurgerSurgery Department, Hospital Independência, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Iraci Lucena da Silva TorresDepartment of Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Pain & Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Luciana Cadore StefaniDepartment of Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Pain & Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Felipe FregniPhysical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department, Center of Neuromodulation & Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Wolnei CaumoDepartment of Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Pain & Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5083-4658
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul · BRHospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre · BRHarvard University · USUniversidade La Salle · BR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAn imbalance in the excitatory/inhibitory systems in the pain networks may explain the persistent chronic pain after hallux valgus surgery. Thus, to contra-regulate this dysfunction, the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) becomes attractive.

objectiveWe tested the hypothesis that two preoperative active(a)-tDCS sessions compared with sham(s)-tDCS could improve the postoperative pain [as indexed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at rest and during walking (primary outcomes)]. To assess their effect on the change in the Numerical Pain Scale (NPS0-10) during Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM-task), disability related to pain (DRP) and analgesic consumption (secondary outcomes). Also, we assessed if the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) after tDCS could predict the intervention's effect on the DRP.

methodsIt is a prospective, double blind, sham-controlled, randomized single center, 40 women (18-70 years-old) who had undergone hallux valgus surgery were randomized to receive two sessions (20 minutes each) of anodal a-tDCS or s-tDCS on the primary motor cortex at night and in the morning before the surgery. To assess the DRP was used the Brazilian Profile of Chronic Pain: Screen (B-PCP:S).

resultsA-tDCS group showed lower scores on VAS at rest and during walking (P<0.001). At rest, the difference between groups was 2.13cm (95%CI = 1.59 to 2.68) while during walking was 1.67cm (95%CI = 1.05 to 2.28). A-tDCS, when compared to s-tDCS reduced analgesic doses in 73.25% (P<0.001), produced a greater reduction in B-PCP:S (mean difference of 9.41 points, 95%CI = 0.63 to 18.21) and higher function of descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) during CPM-task.

conclusionA-tDCS improves postoperative pain, the DRP and the function of DPMS. Also, the CSF BDNF after a-tDCS predicted the improvement in the DRP. In overall, these findings suggest that a-tDCS effects may be mediated by top-down regulatory mechanisms associated with the inhibitory cortical control.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02360462.

Indexed as

Neuronal PlasticityPreoperative CareTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdultBrain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorChronic PainDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHallux ValgusHumansMiddle AgedPostoperative PainProspective StudiesBrain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

Identifiers

PMID29190741
PMCPMC5708693
OpenAlexW2772014051

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.