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Chronic PaintDCSNCT02161302

THE EFFECT OF tDCS IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

A study testing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in people with Chronic Pain and Endometriosis, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is effective in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 55 years, women only
Conditions the study is for
Chronic Pain, Endometriosis
What is being tested?
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
30 participants
Where
1 siteBrazil
Study dates
Jun 2014to May 2016
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 55 years
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • age > 18 years old, non-menopausal, with the diagnosis of endometriosis by videolaparoscopy and biopsy, able to understand and write the Portuguese language, in treatment with isolated progestin for at least one month, who have the worst daily pain in the analogue visual scale > 4 cm on most of the days in the last month

Who cannot join

  • left-handed women, endometriosis implantation in intestine, bladder or urether (surgical treatment indication), history of intense or frequent headache, chronic dermatologic disease, previous adverse effects to treatment with tDCS, seizures, severe cranial trauma with alteration of the cranial anatomy, metallic intracranial implants or pacemaker, history of pelvic inflammatory disease, non-compensated psychiatric disease, non-collaborative patients, history of neurologic, oncologic disease, heart, renal or hepatic failure.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Brazil1 site
  • Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

    Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-903

Other trials in Brazil

About this study

Official title: THE EFFECT OF TRANSCRANIAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION (tDCS) IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS

The purpose of this study is to determine if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is effective in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain associated with endometriosis

Being tested
transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Keywords
Endometriosis, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, tDCS, Near Infrared Spectroscopy, NIRS, Chronic Pelvic Pain
Medical subject headings
Chronic Pain, Endometriosis

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)Device

    Also called tDCS

    The stimulation will be administered with a pair of surface electrodes, sponge coated, soaked in saline. A battery-powered constant current stimulator will be used for this purpose (tDCS device Soterix 1X1). The stimulation is performed by placing the anodal electrode in the primary motor cortex (M1) and the cathodal one in the contralateral supraorbital area and it will use a 2 mA current.

  • Sham Transcranial Direct Current StimulationDevice

    Also called Sham tDCS

    The sham tDCS consists of the same montage of the active tDCS, but the device is turned off 30 seconds after initiating stimulation (without letting the patient notice it). Rest of the montage is kept identical as the active one during the 20 minutes that the session lasts.

Study groups in NCT02161302
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Active tDCSExperimentaltDCS will be applied in the head of the patients in 20 minute sessions, daily from Monday to Friday for 2 weeks (10 sessions total). The stimulation will be administered with a pair of surface electrodes, sponge coated, soaked in saline. A battery-powered constant current stimulator will be used for this purpose (tDCS device Soterix 1X1). The stimulation is performed by placing the anodal electrode in the primary motor cortex (M1) and the cathodal one in the contralateral supraorbital area, and it will use a 2 mA current.
Receives: Device: transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
tDCS ShamSham comparatorThe sham tDCS consists of the same montage of the active tDCS, but the device is turned off 30 seconds after initiating stimulation (without letting the patient notice it). Rest of the montage is kept identical as the active one during the 20 minutes that the session lasts.
Receives: Device: Sham Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in worst daily pain assessed with the visual analogue scale.

    Patients will be asked to write down their worst pain level (assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale, self-administered) in a paper diary with different scores: global pain, pain during menses, pain during sexual intercourse, pain during urination, pain during defecation. They will also be asked to daily write the analgesic drug intake. Total evaluations: 35 days.

    Measured: Once Daily. Start 7 days before treatment, everyday during treatment period and every day during follow-up period (total = 35 days)

  2. Changes in motor cortex blood flow assessed by near infrared spectroscopy

    Motor cortex blood flow will be assessed before the first session of tDCS (on Treatment day 1), after the end of treatment period (Day 15) and after the follow-up period (Day 29). Total = 3 evaluations.

    Measured: Treatment Day 1 (before receiving the 1st session of tDCS); Day 15 (at the end of treatment period) and Day 29 (at the end of follow-up period)

  3. Change in Functional Pain Scale

    The Functional Pain Scale will be assessed by the Brazilian Profile of Chronic Pain: Screen (B-PCP:S) once a week, as follows: on Treatment Day 1 (before the first session of tDCS, considered baseline), on Treatment Day 8, Day 15, Day 22, and Day 29. Total = 5 evaluations.

    Measured: Once a week - Treatment Day 1, Day 8, Day 15, Day 22, Day 29

  4. Change in the temperature pain threshold

    It will be assessed by the Quantitative Sensory Test (QST) in the dominant (right) forearm. The heat pain tolerance and pain threshold to the heat and the temperature defined as pain 6/10 by the participant. The temperature starts at 32°C, and it heat at a 1.0 °C/sec rate and cools down after a button is pressed or whenever it reaches the max temperature of 52°C. The participant will be asked to press the button at the first sensation of pain to determine the pain threshold; to press the button whenever she can not stand the heat anymore for the pain tolerance determination and, for last, to press the button at the temperature she fells pain equivalent to 6/10 in the numeric scale of pain. The pain threshold and the temperature of pain 6/10 will be determined by the arithmetic mean of 3 evaluations each. Total of 3 test days: Day 1 (before the first session of tDCS), after the end of the Treatment period (Day 15) and at the end of the follow-up period (Day 29).

    Measured: up to Day 29

  5. Change in effect of the descendent modulator system of pain

    It will be assessed by the Conditioned Pain Modulation test (CPM). A nociceptive tonic conditioning stimulus - immersion of the non-dominant hand in cold water (0°C for 1 minute) - will be applied concomitant to the progressive thermal stimulus in the dominant forearm as applied in the QST pattern until it reaches the 6/10 pain temperature previously determined by the participant. It will be tested in Treatment Day 1 (before the first session of tDCS - considered baseline), after the end of the Treatment period (Day 15) and at the end of the follow-up period (Day 29) - Total = 3 evaluation.

    Measured: up to Day 29

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Change in serum biomarkers level: The brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and interleukins

    A blood sample will be collected to measure BDNF and interleukins on Treatment Day 1 (right before the first tDCS session - considered baseline), after the end of the treatment period (day 15,) and after the end of the follow-up period (day 29). Total = 3 evaluations

    Measured: up to Day 29

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted11 Jun 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startJun 2014
  3. Primary completionMay 2015
  4. Study completionMay 2016

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Triple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
30 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02161302
Sponsor's protocol ID
14-0092
Acronym
tDCS
Status last verified
Jan 2026
First submitted
10 Jun 2014
Last updated
15 Jan 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Valle A, Roizenblatt S, Botte S, Zaghi S, Riberto M, Tufik S, Boggio PS, Fregni F. Efficacy of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment of fibromyalgia: results of a randomized, sham-controlled longitudinal clinical trial. J Pain Manag. 2009;2(3):353-361.

    PubMed 21170277
  • Nacul AP, Spritzer PM. [Current aspects on diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis]. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2010 Jun;32(6):298-307. doi: 10.1590/s0100-72032010000600008. Portuguese.

    PubMed 20945016
  • Boros K, Poreisz C, Munchau A, Paulus W, Nitsche MA. Premotor transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) affects primary motor excitability in humans. Eur J Neurosci. 2008 Mar;27(5):1292-300. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06090.x. Epub 2008 Feb 29.

    PubMed 18312584
  • Nitsche MA, Liebetanz D, Antal A, Lang N, Tergau F, Paulus W. Modulation of cortical excitability by weak direct current stimulation--technical, safety and functional aspects. Suppl Clin Neurophysiol. 2003;56:255-76. doi: 10.1016/s1567-424x(09)70230-2. No abstract available.

    PubMed 14677403
  • Nitsche MA, Cohen LG, Wassermann EM, Priori A, Lang N, Antal A, Paulus W, Hummel F, Boggio PS, Fregni F, Pascual-Leone A. Transcranial direct current stimulation: State of the art 2008. Brain Stimul. 2008 Jul;1(3):206-23. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2008.06.004. Epub 2008 Jul 1.

    PubMed 20633386
  • Fenton BW, Palmieri PA, Boggio P, Fanning J, Fregni F. A preliminary study of transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of refractory chronic pelvic pain. Brain Stimul. 2009 Apr;2(2):103-7. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2008.09.009. Epub 2009 Feb 28.

    PubMed 20633407
  • Caumo W, Ruehlman LS, Karoly P, Sehn F, Vidor LP, Dall-Agnol L, Chassot M, Torres IL. Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the profile of chronic pain: screen for a Brazilian population. Pain Med. 2013 Jan;14(1):52-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2012.01528.x. Epub 2012 Nov 21.

    PubMed 23171145
  • Sehn F, Chachamovich E, Vidor LP, Dall-Agnol L, de Souza IC, Torres IL, Fregni F, Caumo W. Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the pain catastrophizing scale. Pain Med. 2012 Nov;13(11):1425-35. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2012.01492.x. Epub 2012 Oct 4.

    PubMed 23036076

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in people with Chronic Pain and Endometriosis, run by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre at 1 site in Brazil.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 15 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Brazil. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in worst daily pain assessed with the visual analogue scale. (time frame: Once Daily. Start 7 days before treatment, everyday during treatment period and every day during follow-up period (total = 35 days)). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02161302, which also lists 8 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 15 Jan 2026.

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