Trial Outcomes & Findings for Brain Stimulation and Meditation for Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty (NCT NCT05673720)

NCT ID: NCT05673720

Last Updated: 2025-11-24

Results Overview

The dose of every opioid received within 3 days postoperatively will be transcribed and converted into standardized parenteral morphine equivalents using the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention Guidelines on opioids. A total in milligrams will be calculated for each day and means will be obtained for all groups.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

24 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

day 3 after surgery

Results posted on

2025-11-24

Participant Flow

May 2023 and February 2024. Participants were recruited at their preoperative visit. A clinician or a research coordinator from the clinic conducted a pre-screening of potentially eligible participants, and introduced the study to potential participants at their preoperative visit. If the individual agreed to learn more, the PI or RA entered the room to discuss study, answer questions and scheduled an appointment.

A total of 40 potential participants were approached. Of these, 8 (20%) did not meet inclusion criteria (e.g., partial replacement surgery, fibromyalgia) and 8 declined to participated (20%) mainly because they were living too far to travel to the lab for the baseline and last appointments before surgery.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied for 20 minutes X 5 sessions.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered for 20 minutes X 5 sessions.
Overall Study
STARTED
12
12
Overall Study
COMPLETED
12
12
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
0
0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

Brain Stimulation and Meditation for Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered.
Total
n=24 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous
67.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.7 • n=45 Participants
67.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.3 • n=12929 Participants
67.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.4 • n=6349 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
8 Participants
n=45 Participants
7 Participants
n=12929 Participants
15 Participants
n=6349 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
4 Participants
n=45 Participants
5 Participants
n=12929 Participants
9 Participants
n=6349 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
12 Participants
n=45 Participants
12 Participants
n=12929 Participants
24 Participants
n=6349 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Black
3 Participants
n=45 Participants
1 Participants
n=12929 Participants
4 Participants
n=6349 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
White
8 Participants
n=45 Participants
11 Participants
n=12929 Participants
19 Participants
n=6349 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
multiple ethnicity
1 Participants
n=45 Participants
0 Participants
n=12929 Participants
1 Participants
n=6349 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: day 3 after surgery

The dose of every opioid received within 3 days postoperatively will be transcribed and converted into standardized parenteral morphine equivalents using the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention Guidelines on opioids. A total in milligrams will be calculated for each day and means will be obtained for all groups.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered.
Analgesic Consumption
0 mg
Standard Deviation 0
0 mg
Standard Deviation 0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: day 3 after surgery

The NRS total score ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (most intense pain imaginable).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered.
Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
6.18 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 1.40
5.71 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.56

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: day 3 after surgery

It includes seven items and evaluates the impact of pain on general activity, mood, walking, work, relationships, sleep, and enjoyment of life via a NRS (0-10). Each item represents a subscale and can be scored and analyzed individually (0-10), with the anchors being "does not interfere" (0) and "completely interferes" (10). A total interference score can also be calculated by taking the sum of all the items (score range 0-70). A higher score reflects worse outcomes : higher pain interference with activities.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered.
Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)
6.04 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.17
5.51 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 3.39

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: day 3 after surgery

The PHQ-4 has a total score range of 0-12, which is broken down into four ranges: normal (0-2), mild (3-5), moderate (6-8), and severe (9-12) psychological distress. For the subscales (PHQ-2 for depression and GAD-2 for anxiety), the score range is 0-6. higher values represent a worse outcome

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered.
Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4)
5.4 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 2.76
8.0 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 3.6

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: day 3 after surgery

to assess patients' pain-related catastrophic thoughts. It includes 13 items divided into three subscales: rumination (4 items), magnification (3 items), and helplessness (6 items). Each item is rated on a 5-point scale with the end points not at all (score=0) and all the time (score=4). The total score range for the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) is 0 to 52, where a higher score indicates greater levels of pain catastrophizing.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
n=12 Participants
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered.
Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)
20.56 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 7.76
25.25 units on a scale
Standard Deviation 13.05

Adverse Events

Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 4 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 4 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Other adverse events
Measure
Preoperative Active tDCS+MBI
n=12 participants at risk
Active tDCS with simultaneous meditation intervention will be applied.
Preoperative Sham tDCS+MBI
n=12 participants at risk
Sham tDCS with simultaneous sham MBM intervention will be delivered.
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
tingling
33.3%
4/12 • Number of events 4 • from baseline up to one month
questionnaire after each session + self-report to research assistant during study regarding serious and adverse events
33.3%
4/12 • Number of events 4 • from baseline up to one month
questionnaire after each session + self-report to research assistant during study regarding serious and adverse events

Additional Information

Geraldine Martorella, Hyochol Ahn

Florida State University

Phone: 850-645-9758

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place