Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41371726›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on perioperative psychological symptoms in patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic pneumonectomy under general anaesthesia: study protocol for a single-centre, prospective, randomised, double-blind, controlled study.

Zhengxiu Sun, Yuanyuan Wang, Junda Chen, Yongao Lin, Tianxi Ma, Mingkai Zhou, Pinghao Li, Jinling Liu, Wenxing Zhao, Xingyu Xiong and 4 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

14 authors.

Zhengxiu Sun *Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Yuanyuan Wang *Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Junda Chen *Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Yongao Lin *Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Tianxi MaDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Mingkai ZhouDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Pinghao LiDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Jinling LiuDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Wenxing ZhaoDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Xingyu XiongDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Wen TanDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Mingshu TaoDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Jun-Li CaoDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China lh121061@163.com caojl0310@aliyun.com.
He LiuDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China lh121061@163.com caojl0310@aliyun.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4103-312X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPerioperative psychological symptoms are prevalent among patients undergoing lung surgery and can contribute to adverse clinical outcomes. Pharmacological interventions for these symptoms have inherent limitations. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive therapeutic approach. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of taVNS in managing perioperative psychological symptoms in patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic pneumonectomy under general anaesthesia. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This single-centre, prospective, randomised, double-blind, controlled trial will enrol 176 patients scheduled for elective thoracoscopic lung resection. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the active taVNS or the sham taVNS groups in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups will receive 30 min active or sham stimulation sessions at four time points: (1) the afternoon prior to surgery, (2) the morning of the surgery, (3) following extubation and (4) the first afternoon postsurgery. The primary outcome is the incidence of perioperative anxiety, assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale. Secondary outcomes include depression scores, stress index, sleep quality, pain scores, incidence of postoperative delirium, fatigue, cough symptoms and postoperative recovery quality, all evaluated through validated assessment tools. Analyses will be conducted using intention-to-treat and per-protocol populations. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Ethics Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University granted approval for the study with approval number: XYFY2024-KL444-01. Dissemination will be via national anaesthesia conferences and publication in the peer-reviewed literature. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2400090542.

Indexed as

AnxietyPneumonectomyThoracoscopyTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationVagus Nerve StimulationAdultAgedAnesthesia, GeneralDepressionDouble-Blind MethodElective Surgical ProceduresFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative Complicationsclinical protocolselectric stimulation therapymental health

Identifiers

PMID41371726
PMCPMC12699570

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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.