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Pain Reduction Using Neurostimulation for End-Stage Kidney Disease

This study is testing if a small, battery-powered device called active tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) can help reduce chronic pain in people with end-stage kidney disease who are receiving hemodialysis. The device is worn on the head and delivers a very mild electrical stimulation that is barely noticeable. You would apply the device yourself at home, five times a week for eight weeks, with supervision from study staff. Some participants will receive the active tDCS, while others will receive a sham tDCS (a device that looks and feels the same but doesn't deliver active stimulation). The main goal is to see if the active tDCS can reduce your worst pain intensity over a 7-day period after 8 weeks. To join, you must be at least 21 years old, have end-stage kidney disease and be on hemodialysis, have chronic pain for at least 3 months with a pain intensity of 4 or higher, and be medically stable. The study's current status is unclear.

Study design
This is an interventional study planning to enroll 125 participants. It compares an active device (active tDCS) to a sham device (sham tDCS).
What's involved
You would self-apply the device 5 times per week for eight consecutive weeks at home, with in-person supervision from study personnel.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your pain intensity will be measured at the beginning of the study and again at the end of the 8-week intervention period.

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NCT05311956

Pain Reduction Using NEurostimulation Study

Active, Not Recruiting
NAAges 21+InterventionalTreatment
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
~125 participants
Updated 2026-05-15 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Active tDCSSham tDCS

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in worst pain intensity over past 7 days
Measured over Baseline, 8 weeks (at the end of intervention)

Conditions

End Stage Kidney Disease
Chronic Pain

Explore related trials

Chronic Kidney Disease, Stage 5Chronic Pain

Where it's being run

2 sites across 1 states
New York2

Study leadership

  • Cary Reid, MD, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Who to contact

This trial hasn't published a contact. View it on ClinicalTrials.gov

Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Age ≥ 21 years
Diagnosis of end stage kidney disease (OCD 18.6) and receiving hemodialysis
Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-Blind) adjusted score of≥18;
Pain for ≥3 months, with a self-reported pain intensity of ≥4 (on a 0-10 scale) during the week preceding the screening;
Speaks English or Spanish
Medically stable, as determined by clinician and defined as unlikely to undergo a substantial change in illness or treatment during the next 3 months
Able to provide written informed consent.
Age ≥21 years
Serves as primary caregiver for ESKD patient (e.g., partner, adult child, friend)
Speaks English or Spanish

Exclusion

Active medical or major psychiatric illnesses that will impact pain or interfere with study procedures
History of head trauma, seizure disorder, brain surgery, stroke, or cancer affecting head, metal implants in the head, or compromised skin integrity on the head in the area where electrodes will be placed
Use of another neurostimulation device (such as spinal cord stimulator, cardio-stimulator implanted cardioverter-defibrillator)
Not able to respond to brief questionnaires and rating scales that will interfere with study procedures
Does not tolerate tDCS at a skin test (performed at training Visit 2)
Does not provide informed consent

What this trial measures

  • Change in worst pain intensity over past 7 daysBaseline, 8 weeks (at the end of intervention)

    Pain intensity will be measured by one question from the PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) Pain Intensity - Short Form 3a. This 3-item instrument assesses how much a person hurts. This question asks in the past 7 days, "How intense was your pain at its worst?" Respondents report their pain on a 5-point scale: 1=Had no pain, 2=Mild, 3=Moderate, 4=Severe, and 5=Very severe.