Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40261600›Full record

ArticleNeurology and therapy2025

Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on the Intensity of Post-dural Puncture Headache: Results of Two Randomized Sham Controlled Trials.

Bledar Gjikolaj, Mario Stampanoni Bassi, Antonio Bruno, Valeria De Ioanni, Ettore Dolcetti, Sheila Peter, Giovanni Galifi, Antonella Conte, Luana Gilio, Diego Centonze and 1 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurology and therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06640634 (Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Postdural Puncture Headache), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT06640634 nacompletednot on this map

Effect of Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Postdural Puncture Headache: Results of Two Randomized Sham - Controlled Trials

TypeinterventionalSponsorNeuromed IRCCSRan2022 to 2024Enrolled97ConditionsPostdural Puncture Headache, Lumbar PunctureArmsactive in therapeutic tDCS (Th-tDCS): anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (a-tDCS), sham in therapeutic tDCS (Th-tDCS): anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (a-tDCS), active in preventive tDCS (Pr-tDCS): anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (a-tDCS), sham in preventive tDCS (Pr-tDCS): anodal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (a-tDCS)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
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.

Bledar GjikolajDepartment of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
Mario Stampanoni BassiUnit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Antonio BrunoUnit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Valeria De IoanniUnit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Ettore DolcettiUnit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Sheila PeterDepartment of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
Giovanni GalifiDepartment of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.
Antonella ConteUnit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Luana GilioUnit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Diego CentonzeDepartment of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. centonze@uniroma2.it.
Fabio ButtariDepartment of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.

Funding

Ministero della Salute (Ministry of Health, Italy) Progetto Ricerca Corrente 2024 to IRCCS Neuromed
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPost-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is a common complication of diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP), often leading to extended hospitalization and additional medication use. Clinical studies have shown that anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) is effective against migraine, and thus we decided to assess whether a-tDCS was also effective in treating and preventing PDPH.

methodsIn two independent, randomized, monocentric controlled trials (RCTs), we enrolled 97 hospitalized participants who underwent LP for diagnostic purposes. Patients were randomized to receive either active a-tDCS or sham tDCS over the dominant primary motor cortex (M1) in a therapeutic tDCS (Th-tDCS) or preventive tDCS (Pr-tDCS) study. In the two trials, the primary outcome was the severity of PDPH measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain. Secondary outcomes included the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) to evaluate other pain-related symptoms associated with LP.

resultsIn the Th-tDCS study, significant differences between groups were observed after tDCS in the VAS (F = 17.011, p < 0.001), as well as in BPI intensity (F = 17.006, p < 0.001) and BPI interference (F = 14.730, p < 0.001). Moreover, in the Pr-tDCS study, VAS analysis showed a significant time × group interaction (F = 6.918, p = 0.002). Significant differences were also observed in BPI intensity (F = 17.866, p < 0.001) and BPI interference (F = 15.520, p < 0.001).

conclusionsOur findings suggest that a-tDCS may effectively prevent and treat PDPH and alleviate other pain-related symptoms associated with LP. Encouraging results have emerged for the use of a-tDCS in patients undergoing LP, in both experimental research designs (Th-tDCS and Pr-tDCS). A non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique, such as a-tDCS, could have a therapeutic and preventive effect on pain resulting from a LP.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT06640634) retrospectively registered on October 8, 2024.

Indexed as

HeadacheNeuromodulationNon-invasive brain stimulationPost-dural puncture headacheTranscranial direct current stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40261600
PMCPMC12089569

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.