Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Kidney Disease

This study is looking at a device called transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The taVNS device is a type of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit (TENS) that will be applied to your right ear for 15 minutes. Researchers want to see if it's safe and tolerable, and how it affects your heart rate variability (HRV). This information will help them plan larger studies to potentially reduce heart problems in people with CKD. You might be able to join if you are 18-80 years old with CKD stage 3-5 (meaning your eGFR, a measure of kidney function, is less than 60 mL/min/1.73m2). The study is currently unclear on its recruitment status and plans to enroll 20 participants.

Study design
This is an interventional study, meaning participants will receive a specific treatment. It is a pilot study with 20 participants, designed to gather initial data.
What's involved
You would have the TENS unit applied to your ear for 15 minutes. Your heart rate variability will be measured before and after this intervention on Day 1.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Your heart rate variability will be measured immediately after the intervention on Day 1. No further follow-up is specified.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT05981183

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Device in CKD Population

Recruiting
NAAges 18–80InterventionalTreatment
NYU Langone Health
~20 participants
Updated 2025-12-31 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit (TENS)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) at Baseline
Measured over Day 1 (15 minutes prior to administration of intervention)
+1 more outcome measured
Chronic Kidney Disease

NCT05981183

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • NYU Langone Health

    New York, New Yorkno site contact published

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

  • David Charytan, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · NYU Langone Health

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Eligibility criteria

Exclusion

Pacemaker dependent
Prisoners
Pregnant women. A pregnancy test will be offered if a subject is concerned about being pregnant.
Not capable of informed consent
Know autonomic function disorder (e.g. Parkinson's disease with autonomic dysfunction)
ICD or PPM precluding assessment of heart rate variability (e.g. chronic atrial fibrillation)
Recent myocardial infarction (4 weeks or less)
Maintenance dialysis
Epilepsy
Patients on labetalol (labetalol will interfere with catecholamine measurements)
Patients with diabetes
At least 50% of cohort must not be on beta blockers. This will help to distinguish the confounding effects of beta blockers.
  • Heart Rate Variability (HRV) at BaselineDay 1 (15 minutes prior to administration of intervention)

    HRV is the variation in the time interval between heartbeats.

  • HRV at Post-InterventionDay 1 (15 minutes Post-Intervention)

    HRV is the variation in the time interval between heartbeats.