Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42682102›Full record

Trial reportNeurogastroenterology and motility2026

Ameliorating Effects and Autonomic Mechanisms of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Abdominal Pain in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Xiaomeng Sun, Qi Lin, Yuemei Xu, Pingping Hu, Peijing Rong, Jieyun Yin, Lin Lin, Jiande D Z Chen

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Neurogastroenterology and motility, 2026. 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

8 authors.

Xiaomeng SunDivision of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0701-2795
Qi LinDivision of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Yuemei XuDivision of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Pingping HuDivision of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Peijing RongInstitute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jieyun YinTranstimulation Research, Inc, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Lin LinDivision of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Jiande D Z ChenDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPatients with functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often experience abdominal pain and reduced quality of life and need effective treatments. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate whether transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) could improve abdominal pain and quality of life in patients with FD and IBS, and whether the effects were mediated via the autonomic mechanisms.

methodsA total of 64 patients with abdominal pain (43 FD and 21 IBS) with a pain score of 3 out of 10 or higher were randomized to receive 2 weeks of taVNS or sham-taVNS treatment. The primary outcome was numeric rating scale (NRS) for abdominal pain. The dyspeptic symptom scales (DSS), IBS symptom severity scale score (IBS-SSS), anxiety and depression scores, and the SF36 quality of life scale were assessed before and after the treatment. The electrocardiogram was also recorded for the assessment of autonomic function at baseline and after the treatment. KEY

results(1) taVNS reduced the abdominal pain score (p < 0.001 for both FD and IBS), the frequency of abdominal pain (p < 0.001 for both FD and IBS), and overall symptom scores in both FD patients and IBS patients (p < 0.001 for FD and IBS). There was no significant difference in the effect of taVNS on abdominal pain between FD and IBS patients. (2) taVNS improved quality of life compared with baseline in both FD and IBS patients. (3) taVNS decreased anxiety (p < 0.001) and depression (p < 0.001). (4) taVNS increased vagal activity. At the end of the taVNS treatment, the vagal activity was negatively correlated with the pain score (r = -0.491, p = 0.004).

conclusionsNon-invasive taVNS improves abdominal pain, quality of life, and anxiety and depression in patients with FD and patients with IBS, possibly attributed to the enhancement of vagal activity.

trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2400085697.

Indexed as

Abdominal PainDyspepsiaIrritable Bowel SyndromeTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationVagus Nerve StimulationAdultAutonomic Nervous SystemFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementQuality of LifeTreatment Outcomeabdominal painfunctional dyspepsiairritable bowel syndrometranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation

Identifiers

PMID42682102
PMCPMC13535475

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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.