Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Active, Not Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT05302752

Quantification and Repeatability of Magnetic Stimulation

In this project the quantification and the repeatability of responses to rapid bilateral magnetic stimulation of the phrenic nerves will be investigated in healthy humans.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Healthy

Age range

18 year–39 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Exercise Physiology Lab, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich

Zurich, Canton of Zurich, 8092, Switzerland

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • healthy
  • non-smoking
  • normal lung function
  • body mass index: 18.5-29.9 kg/m2
  • able to communicate in english
  • willing to adhere to study rules

Exclusion criteria

  • acute illness or chronic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, and health conditions affecting metabolism, the cardiovascular or the respiratory system, or sleep
  • intake of medications affecting metabolism, the cardiovascular, the neuromuscular or the respiratory system, or sleep
  • any metal or electronics inside of the body
  • presence of cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillators or implanted neurostimulators
  • history of seizures or epilepsy
  • tatoos on the stimulation sites
  • previous enrolment in this study
  • for women: pregnancy, breastfeeding, or intention to become pregnant during the study

Treatment and study plan

Magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation

Other

The intervention consists of bilateral rapid magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation on the neck using different stimulation intensities.

On one visit, the effect of increasing chest wall stiffness and respiratory muscle work by adding incrementally small weights to the chest/abdomen will be investigated.

Primary outcomes

  1. Diaphragm contractility

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec

    Transdiaphragmatic pressure changes, i.e. changes in esophageal and gastric pressures, will be measured by a pressure transducer connected to balloon-catheters.

Other outcomes

  1. Changes in airflow

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Flow will be recorded by a pneumotachometer and averaged over breaths.

  2. Changes in chest and abdominal movements

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Chest and abdominal movements will be assessed using respiratory belt strain transducers.

  3. Changes in costal diaphragm activity

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Costal diaphragm activity will be continuously recorded via a wireless surface electromyography system.

  4. Head, shoulder and arm accelerations

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Head, shoulder and arm movements will be recorded using wireless acceleration sensors attached to the head and arms.

  5. Body movement

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Overall body movement incl. head, shoulder and arm movements will be recorded using a video camera.

  6. Changes in skin conductance

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Skin conductance (μS) will be continuously recorded with electrodes worn on two fingers.

  7. Changes in heart rate

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Heart rate will will be continuously recorded beat by beat (1/min) with electrodes on both wrists and one ankle.

  8. Changes in blood pressure

    Time frame: Continuously measured from 10 sec before until 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) will be continuously recorded using a non-invasive device.

  9. Perception of pain, paresthesia and discomfort

    Time frame: Assessed 10 sec after each stimulation. One stimulation lasts for approx. 1 sec.

    Participant subject perception of pain, paresthesia and discomfort will be evaluated with 0-to-10-point scale, with 0 = no pain/paresthesia/discomfort and 10 = maximal pain/paresthesia/discomfort. Higher values indicate more perception of the specified sensations.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Quantification and Repeatability of Responses to Rapid Bilateral Magnetic Stimulation of the Phrenic Nerves

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
Mar 31, 2022
Registry last updated
Jul 8, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.