PsoriasisNCT04058652
Use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Reducing Biologic Injection Site Pain(TENS Study)
A study testing transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit in people with Psoriasis, run by Wake Forest University Health Sciences at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this research study is to determine the efficacy of TENS therapy in reducing the pain experienced by patients during and after the injection of biological medications. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 64 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Psoriasis
- What is being tested?
- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 7 Aug 2019to Jul 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 64 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Subject has a diagnosis of psoriasis and receiving biologic medication injection in two sites during their clinic visit as part of their management.
- Subject is 18 years of age or older.
- Subject has a working knowledge of English.
Who cannot join
- Subject not receiving biologic medication injection.
- Subject under 18 years of age.
- Subject does not have a working knowledge of English.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157
About this study
Official title: Use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Reducing Biologic Injection Site Pain
The purpose of this research study is to determine the efficacy of TENS therapy in reducing the pain experienced by patients during and after the injection of biological medications. The study team is interested in recording the level of pain reduction from TENS therapy to determine if this intervention is effective at reducing discomfort associated with medication administration so that it may possibly be applied to other patients in an effort to reduce treatment-related discomfort, anxiety, and possibly increase adherence.
A total of 10-20 subjects at one research site will be recruited to participate, specifically, individuals who receive the injection of medication in two separate sites. The inclusion criteria will be an age of > 18 years old, a diagnosis of psoriasis, and currently receiving biologic medication injection in two sites during their dermatology clinic visit.
The first step is to administer the biologic medication in one thigh without the use of TENS therapy. This is done to establish a control, or baseline, for how painful the injection experience is. The second step involves a study team member applying two to four TENS unit pads (made of adhesive gel) to the skin of your thigh approximately two centimeters from the site where injection of the biological medication takes place. The device will be turned on during the injection of the medication. Medication injection will take place by either the patient or nursing staff as it would normally take place without involvement in this study. Immediately after both steps, subjects will be given a brief survey to determine their pain level.
Read the detailed description
A total of 10-20 subjects at one research site will be recruited to participate, specifically, individuals who receive the injection of medication in two separate sites. The inclusion criteria will be an age of > 18 years old, a diagnosis of psoriasis, and currently receiving biologic medication injection in two sites during their dermatology clinic visit.
The first step is to administer the biologic medication in one thigh without the use of TENS therapy. This is done to establish a control, or baseline, for how painful the injection experience is. The second step involves a study team member applying two to four TENS unit pads (made of adhesive gel) to the skin of your thigh approximately two centimeters from the site where injection of the biological medication takes place. The device will be turned on during the injection of the medication. Medication injection will take place by either the patient or nursing staff as it would normally take place without involvement in this study. Immediately after both steps, subjects will be given a brief survey to determine their pain level.
The study will be conducted at Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Data will also be analyzed at Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
- Conditions
- Psoriasis
- Being tested
- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit
- Medical subject headings
- Psoriasis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unitDevice
The transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit is a noninvasive, inexpensive, battery-operated device that was originally designed to provide modulation of the afferent nervous system to relieve pain. By providing alternating current through cutaneous electrodes, TENS activates large-diameter afferent fibers of the nervous system (A-delta, A-beta, C fibers), whose ascending signals are subsequently relayed to the central nervous system.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| TENS therapy | Experimental | the first step would be to administer the biologic medication in one thigh without the use of TENS therapy. Biologic medications are administered in two doses, with one in each thigh. Administering the first biologic medication injection is done to establish a control, or baseline, for how painful the injection experience is. The second step would be a study team member applying two to four TENS unit pads (made of adhesive gel) to the skin of subject's other thigh approximately two centimeters from the site where injection of the biological medication takes place. There will be no extra injection of biologic medication during this procedure. The prescribed dose will be used one time, split into two legs (which is the standard protocol for administration). The device will be turned on during the injection of the medication. Immediately after both steps, the subject will be given a brief survey to determine your pain level. The subject's involvement would last roughly 10-15 minutes. Receives: Device: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Self Report on Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS Pain)
Determining the change in discomfort associated with medication before and after the administration of the TENS therapy. The Visual Analogue Scale consists of a straight line with the endpoints defining extreme limits such as "0" 'no pain at all' and "8" 'pain as bad as it could be'. The patient is asked to mark his pain level on the line between the two endpoints "0" - "8". The distance between "0" 'no pain at all' and the mark then defines the subject's pain.
Measured: completion of study, one day
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Aug 2019
- Study start7 Aug 2019
- Primary completionJan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJul 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PsoriasisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Wake Forest University Health SciencesThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Steven R Feldman, M.D., Ph.D, Principal investigator, Wake Forest University Health Sciences
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04058652
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB00059331
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Aug 2019
- Last updated
- 4 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No: the study team does not plan to share individual data, only collective outcomes.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Reducing Biologic Injection Site Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04058652
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB00059331
- Conditions
- Psoriasis
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Wake Forest University Health SciencesUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Aug 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jan 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jul 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 Aug 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this research study is to determine the efficacy of TENS therapy in reducing the pain experienced by patients during and after the injection of biological medications. The study team is interested in recording the level of pain reduction from TENS therapy to determine if this intervention is effective at reducing discomfort associated with medication administration so that it may possibly be applied to other patients in an effort to reduce treatment-related discomfort, anxiety, and possibly increase adherence.
A total of 10-20 subjects at one research site will be recruited to participate, specifically, individuals who receive the injection of medication in two separate sites. The inclusion criteria will be an age of > 18 years old, a diagnosis of psoriasis, and currently receiving biologic medication injection in two sites during their dermatology clinic visit.
The first step is to administer the biologic medication in one thigh without the use of TENS therapy. This is done to establish a control, or baseline, for how painful the injection experience is. The second step involves a study team member applying two to four TENS unit pads (made of adhesive gel) to the skin of your thigh approximately two centimeters from the site where injection of the biological medication takes place. The device will be turned on during the injection of the medication. Medication injection will take place by either the patient or nursing staff as it would normally take place without involvement in this study. Immediately after both steps, subjects will be given a brief survey to determine their pain level.
Detailed description
A total of 10-20 subjects at one research site will be recruited to participate, specifically, individuals who receive the injection of medication in two separate sites. The inclusion criteria will be an age of > 18 years old, a diagnosis of psoriasis, and currently receiving biologic medication injection in two sites during their dermatology clinic visit.
The first step is to administer the biologic medication in one thigh without the use of TENS therapy. This is done to establish a control, or baseline, for how painful the injection experience is. The second step involves a study team member applying two to four TENS unit pads (made of adhesive gel) to the skin of your thigh approximately two centimeters from the site where injection of the biological medication takes place. The device will be turned on during the injection of the medication. Medication injection will take place by either the patient or nursing staff as it would normally take place without involvement in this study. Immediately after both steps, subjects will be given a brief survey to determine their pain level.
The study will be conducted at Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Data will also be analyzed at Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| TENS therapy | Experimental | Device: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unitthe first step would be to administer the biologic medication in one thigh without the use of TENS therapy. Biologic medications are administered in two doses, with one in each thigh. Administering the first biologic medication injection is done to establish a control, or baseline, for how painful the injection experience is. The second step would be a study team member applying two to four TENS unit pads (made of adhesive gel) to the skin of subject's other thigh approximately two centimeters from the site where injection of the biological medication takes place. There will be no extra injection of biologic medication during this procedure. The prescribed dose will be used one time, split into two legs (which is the standard protocol for administration). The device will be turned on during the injection of the medication. Immediately after both steps, the subject will be given a brief survey to determine your pain level. The subject's involvement would last roughly 10-15 minutes. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 64 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Subject has a diagnosis of psoriasis and receiving biologic medication injection in two sites during their clinic visit as part of their management.
- Subject is 18 years of age or older.
- Subject has a working knowledge of English.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Subject not receiving biologic medication injection.
- Subject under 18 years of age.
- Subject does not have a working knowledge of English.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unitThe transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit is a noninvasive, inexpensive, battery-operated device that was originally designed to provide modulation of the afferent nervous system to relieve pain. By providing alternating current through cutaneous electrodes, TENS activates large-diameter afferent fibers of the nervous system (A-delta, A-beta, C fibers), whose ascending signals are subsequently relayed to the central nervous system. | Device | TENS therapy |
Primary outcome
Self Report on Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS Pain)
Time frame: completion of study, one day
Determining the change in discomfort associated with medication before and after the administration of the TENS therapy. The Visual Analogue Scale consists of a straight line with the endpoints defining extreme limits such as "0" 'no pain at all' and "8" 'pain as bad as it could be'. The patient is asked to mark his pain level on the line between the two endpoints "0" - "8". The distance between "0" 'no pain at all' and the mark then defines the subject's pain.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. the study team does not plan to share individual data, only collective outcomes.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Steven R Feldman, M.D., Ph.D principal investigator
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit in people with Psoriasis, run by Wake Forest University Health Sciences at 1 site in United States.
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 3 inclusion and 3 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Aug 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 United States. 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. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
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?
Self Report on Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS Pain) (time frame: completion of study, one day). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 4 Aug 2026.