Effect of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Addition on Disability in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study

Background & objective: Low back pain is a common problem, especially in the young and middle-aged working people, often very resistant to conventional management. We evaluated impact of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS), applied conjunction with an exercise treatment program, on disability chronic low patients.
 Methodology: The study was conducted from June October 2022. Twenty-two patients aged 42.18 ± 9.91 y, Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score 5.64 1.09 Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) 10 4.670, were randomly assigned two groups. control group received only therapy (EXC group, n = 11), intervention tVNS + 11). primary outcome RMDQ, measured before after intervention.
 Result: mean RMDQ significantly improved both In improvement 9.45 4.44 2.18 2.71 (P 0.000), it 10.55 5.05 2.36 2.06 0.001). Inter-group comparison showed no significant difference. effect size (2.12) similar (1.98).
 Conclusion: Addition 2-weeks did not show superior compared pain. Exercise alone sufficient improve RMDQ.
 Abbreviations: CLBP: Chronic pain; EXC: Exercise; tVNS: Transcutaneous stimulation; NPRS: rating scale; RMDQ: questionnaire
 Key words: Disability; Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation
 Citation: Uzlifatin Y, Arfianti L, Wardhani IL, Hidayati HB, Melaniani S. Effect addition patients: randomized controlled study. Anaesth. intensive care 2022;27(1):73−81; DOI: 10.35975/apic.v27i1.2084
 Received: December 07, 2022; Reviewed: 28, Accepted: January 11, 2022