A Single Center Pilot Study on the Use of a Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Device in CKD Population
Brief description of study
The purpose of this study is to test a possible treatment called transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This treatment has already been tested in other illnesses, including cardiovascular diseases and depression, but has not been explored in patients with kidney disease. Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation is a technique that involves applying a gentle electrical stimulation to the ear to target a specific nerve in the body called the vagus nerve. This nerve plays a crucial role in regulating the autonomic nervous system, which is often dysregulated in patients with kidney disease.
The goal of this study is to gather preliminary data to understand how this treatment impacts heart rate, blood pressure and measures of autonomic nervous system (the part of the nervous system that controls blood pressure and heart rate responses) function that can be measured from minute to minute changes in heart rate and blood pressure (heart rate variability and blood pressure variability) and to understand how well people with CKD tolerate the stimulation. This information will help to determine if future research should be done on a larger scale to explore the potential benefits of TVNS for preventing dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system and reducing the risk of heart-related problems and death in patients with CKD.
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