Transcutaneous Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Functional Dyspepsia With Sleep Disturbances: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is most common in functional gastrointestinal disorders whose risk factors include sleep disturbances. The medication treatment for FD with sleep disturbances has disadvantages such as addiction and withdrawal symptoms. Transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a new therapeutic method to improve dyspepsia and sleep. The study on taVNS for FD with sleep disturbances has not yet been explored.60 participants who have FD and sleep disturbances are recruited from the department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. Inclusion criteria follows: meeting the ROME IV diagnostic criteria of FD; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)>7; aged 18-65 years old; not taking related drugs in past one month; from March 2022 to June 2023; sign informed consent. All patients were randomly divided into 2 groups and respectively treated with taVNS and sham-taVNS for four weeks. PSQI, Nepean dyspepsia index (NDI), electrogastrogram (ECG), nutrient drinking satiety test, Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Scale, heart rate variability (HRV) and serum melatonin (MLT) were recorded at baseline and after 4-week treatment. The effect and mechanism of taVNS for FD with sleep disturbances were investigated by comparing the indexes before and after treatment of taVNS and sham-taVNS groups. The study was proved by the medical ethics committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University.