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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02686034

RCT of Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) With gammaCore®, for the Acute Treatment of Migraine Attacks

This study is a prospective, multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, sham-controlled investigation designed for comparison of two parallel treatment groups: gammaCore (active nVNS treatment) and a Sham device (control treatment), for the acute treatment of migraine attacks

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Key information

Conditions

Migraine Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Headache Disorders Headache Disorders, Primary Migraine Disorders Nervous System Diseases

Age range

18 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University Aldo Moro, Ospedale Pediatrico, Bari, Italy

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About this study

Period 1: 4-week observational run-in period; no stimulation treatment. Subjects use standard of care (SoC) medication to treat their migraine attacks, according to their individual prescriptions.

Period 2: 4-week randomized/controlled period. After the run-in period, subjects are randomized (1:1) to receive either an nVNS device or a sham device to treat up to 5 migraine attacks.

Period 3: 4-week open-label (active treatment) period. After the randomized period, subjects continue to the open-label period where all subjects receive an active gammaCore device to treat up to 5 migraine attacks.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Is 18-75 years old.
  • Has been previously diagnosed with migraine (with or without aura) in accordance with the ICHD-3 Beta classification criteria.
  • Age of onset of migraines < 50 years old.
  • Experiences between 3-8 migraine attacks per month of moderate or severe intensity, and less than 15 headache days per month over the last 6 months.
  • Is able to distinguish migraine headaches from other headaches (e.g. tension type headache).
  • Agrees to withhold usual acute migraine medications until 2 hours after stimulation treatment with the study device.
  • Agrees not to initiate new or change existing migraine prophylaxis medication for the duration of the study, or receive nerve blocks or injections.
  • Agrees not to initiate new or change existing prophylactic medication for indications other than migraine that in the opinion of the Investigator may interfere with the study objectives (e.g. antidepressant, anti-convulsant, beta blockers, etc).
  • Has internet/web access for web-based e-Diary completion.
  • Agrees to use the study device as intended, comply with all study requirements including treatment, follow-up visits, record required study data in the subject diary, and complete study self-assessment questionnaires.
  • Is able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

  • Experiences ≥ 15 headache days per month, including migraine, tension type headache, medication overuse headache, and other types of headache as defined in the ICHD-3 Beta classification.
  • Has a known history or suspicion of secondary headache.
  • Has previous diagnosis of medication overuse headache (MoH), which has reverted to episodic migraine within the last 6 months.
  • Has had surgical intervention for migraine prevention.
  • Has had a cervical vagotomy.
  • Has a structural abnormality (e.g. lymphadenopathy, neoplasm, previous surgery or abnormal anatomy), or pain (e.g. dysesthesia, neuralgia and/or cervicalgia) at the stimulation treatment site.
  • Has other significant pain problem (e.g. cancer pain, fibromyalgia or other head or facial disorder) that in the opinion of the Investigator may confound the study assessments.
  • Is currently implanted with an electrical and/or neurostimulator device (e.g. cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator, vagal neurostimulator, deep brain stimulator, spinal stimulator, bone growth stimulator, cochlear implant, sphenopalatine ganglion stimulator, or occipital nerve stimulator).
  • Has been implanted with metal cervical spine hardware or has a metallic implant near the stimulation treatment site.
  • Has failed an adequate trial (two months or greater) of at least 3 classes of a drug therapy for acute treatment of migraine.
  • Has initiated new, or changed existing medications for migraine prophylaxis in the previous 2 months.
  • Is using marijuana (including medical marijuana) for any indications, more than twice a month.
  • Currently takes simple analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) greater than 15 days per month, or triptans, ergots or combined analgesics greater than 10 days per month.
  • Currently takes opioids greater than 2 days per month for headache relief or body pain.
  • Has undergone nerve block (occipital or other) in the head or neck within the last 2 months, or Botox injections within the last 6 months.
  • Has a concomitant medical condition that will require oral or injectable steroids during the study.
  • Has a history of intracranial aneurysm, intracranial haemorrhage, brain tumour or significant head trauma.
  • Has known or suspected severe cardiac disease (e.g. symptomatic coronary artery disease, prior myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure(CHF), cerebrovascular disease (e.g. prior stroke or transient ischemic attack symptomatic carotid artery disease, prior carotid endarterectomy or other vascular neck surgery), or uncontrolled high blood pressure (systolic >160, diastolic >100 after 3 repeated measurements within 24 hours).
  • Has a history of syncope or seizure (within the last 5 years).
  • Has a known history or suspicion of substance abuse or addiction (within the last 5 years).
  • Has psychiatric or cognitive disorder and/or behavioural problems which in the opinion of the clinician may interfere with the study.
  • Belongs to a vulnerable population or has any condition such that his or her ability to provide informed consent, comply with the follow-up requirements, or provide self-assessments is compromised (e.g. homeless, developmentally disabled, prisoner).
  • Is pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant during the study period, or of childbearing years and is unwilling to use an accepted form of birth control.
  • Is a relative or employee of the Investigator or the clinical study site.
  • Is participating in any other therapeutic clinical investigation or has participated in a clinical trial in the preceding 30 days.
  • Has previously used the gammaCore device.

Treatment and study plan

gammaCore-S

Device

At onset of migraine pain, the subject self-administers a bilateral treatment with the gammaCore nVNS device (2 minutes on the right side, and 2 minutes on the left side). If their headache pain has not improved after 15 minutes, they administer another bilateral treatment. If they are not pain-free at 2 hours, they have the option to administer a third bilateral treatment, or take their usual rescue medication.

Other names: nVNS

gammaCore-S Sham

Device

At onset of migraine pain, the subject self-administers a bilateral treatment with the gammaCore nVNS Sham device (2 minutes on the right side, and 2 minutes on the left side). If their headache pain has not improved after 15 minutes, they administer another bilateral treatment with the Sham device. If they are not pain-free at 2 hours, they have the option to administer a third bilateral treatment with the Sham device, or take their usual rescue medication.

Other names: sham nVNS

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants With Treatment Response - No Pain

    Time frame: 2 hours post-treatment

    The primary objective is to compare the treatment response for nVNS and Sham therapies at two hours post-treatment, for the first treated migraine attack during study Period 2. Treatment response is defined as no pain at 2 hours post-treatment and no rescue medication use by 2 hours post-treatment.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants With Absence of Nausea/Vomiting, Photophobia, Phonophobia

    Time frame: 2 hours post-treatment study - period 2 (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Presence or absence of nausea/vomiting, photophobia and phonophobia for nVNS and sham therapies for the first treated migraine attack at 120 minutes during study Period 2.

  2. Number of Participants With Treatment Response - No Pain or Mild Pain

    Time frame: 2 hours post-treatment

    Response to treatment was assessed by the subjects using the 4 point headache scale, where 0 = No pain, 1 = Mild pain, 2 = Moderate pain and 3 = severe pain.

    Results show count of participants with a response of no pain (score = 0) or mild pain (score = 1) on the 4-point headache pain scale for the nVNS and sham therapies at 2 hours post-treatment and no rescue medication use by 2 hours post-treatment for the first treated migraine attack during study Period 2.

  3. Number of Participants With Treatment Response no Pain or Mild Pain at 24 and 48 Hours.

    Time frame: 24 and 48 hours post-treatment

    Response to treatment was assessed by the subjects using the 4 point headache scale, where 0 = No pain, 1 = Mild pain, 2 = Moderate pain and 3 = severe pain.

    Results show count of participants with a response of no pain or mild pain on the 4-point headache pain scale at 24, and 48 hours post-treatment (and no rescue medication use) for nVNS and sham therapies for the first treated migraine attack during study Period 2.

  4. Number of Migraine Attacks With Treatment Response 'No Pain' in Study Period 2 All Attacks

    Time frame: 30, 60, 120 minutes; Study Period 2 (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Response to treatment was assessed by the subjects using the 4 point headache scale, where 0 = No pain, 1 = Mild pain, 2 = Moderate pain and 3 = severe pain.

    Results show % Treatment response 'No pain' for the nVNS and sham therapies at 30, 60 and 120 minutes calculated for all treated attacks during study Period 2.

Other outcomes

  1. Number of Migraine Attacks With Treatment Response 'No Pain' in Study Period 3

    Time frame: 30, 60, 120 minutes; Period 3 (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Response to treatment was assessed by the subjects using the 4 point headache scale, where 0 = No pain, 1 = Mild pain, 2 = Moderate pain and 3 = severe pain.

    Number of migraine attacks with treatment response 'no pain' for the nVNS and sham therapies at 30, 60 and 120 minutes calculated for all treated attacks during study Period 3.

  2. Number of Migraine Attacks With Treatment Response no Pain or Mild Pain

    Time frame: 30, 60, 120 minutes; Study Periods 2 and 3 (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Response to treatment was assessed by the subjects using the 4 point headache scale, where 0 = No pain, 1 = Mild pain, 2 = Moderate pain and 3 = severe pain.

    Number of migraine attacks with treatment response 'no pain' or 'mild pain' on the 4-point headache pain scale for the nVNS and sham therapies at 30, 60 and 120 minutes calculated for all treated attacks during study Periods 2 and 3 (separately)

  3. Number of Migraine Attacks With Absence of Nausea, Vomiting, Photophobia and Phonophobia

    Time frame: Study Periods 2 and 3 (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Number of Attacks with Absence of Nausea, Vomiting, Photophobia and Phonophobia at 120 minutes for nVNS and sham therapies calculated for all treated attacks during study Periods 2 and 3 (separately).

  4. Number of Attacks With Sustained Treatment Response

    Time frame: 24 and 48 hours; Study Periods 2 and 3 (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Number of migraine attacks with sustained treatment response (mild or no pain at 24 and 48 hours post-treatment) for nVNS and sham therapies calculated for all treated attacks during study Periods 2 and 3 (separately).

  5. Number of Subjects With Consistency of Response

    Time frame: Study Periods 2 and 3 (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Consistency of response, defined as the number of subjects who achieve no pain or mild pain in 50% or greater of their attacks, in subjects treating at least two attacks, for nVNS and sham therapies for all treated attacks during study Periods 2 and 3 (separately).

  6. Quality of Life Measured by EuroQol-5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L)

    Time frame: End of each study period (each study period was 4 weeks)

    Treatment effect on quality of life: EQ-5D-5L is assessed at end of the run-in period and at the end of each 4-week period for nVNS and sham therapies.

    EQ-5D-5L descriptive system comprises 5 dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Each dimension has 5 levels: 1 = no problems, 2 = slight problems, 3= moderate problems, 4 = severe problems and 5 = extreme problems. Subjects indicate health state by ticking choosing appropriate statement in each dimension. The 5 dimensions scores are combined into a score, where a lower score indicates less problems.

    Scores across all 5 dimensions are averaged resulting in a total theoretical score of 1 to 5 with lower scores indicating less problems

  7. Bang Blinding Index Scores

    Time frame: Study Period 2 (4 weeks)

    After the first treated attack and at the end of the double blind period (period 2) subjects were asked to guess if they were had received 'gammaCore-S', ''sham' or 'do not know'. Bang blinding index estimated are presented for the gammaCore-S and sham.

    Bang Blinding Index shows the success of blinding. The blinding index proposed is scaled to an interval of -1 to 1, 1 being complete lack of blinding, 0 being consistent with perfect blinding and -1 indicating opposite guessing which may be related to unblinding.

    A score of one means they guess correctly, -1 incorrectly. If the bang index includes 0 it indicates that the guesses were consistent for the sham and active and the study was appropriately blinded

  8. Subject Satisfaction

    Time frame: End of Study Periods 2 and 3 (each study period was 4 weeks long)

    Subject satisfaction with the study devices Subjects were asked to rate their satisfaction with the device from the following options: Extremely satisfied, Very satisfied, Satisfied, A little satisfied or Not at all satisfied

  9. Mean Change in Pain Score From Baseline to 120 Minutes

    Time frame: 120 minutes, Study Period 2 (each study period was 4 weeks long)

    Subjects rated pain at onset of migraine attack (baseline) and at 120 minutes using a 4 point headache pain scale where 0 = no pain, 1 = mild pain, 3 = moderate pain and 4 = severe pain. A lower score indicates less pain. Mean change in pain score from baseline to 120 minutes for all attacks in study period 2

  10. Ease of Use

    Time frame: End of Study Periods 2 and 3 (each study period was 4 weeks long)

    Ease of use of the study devices - Subjects were asked to rate the ease of use of the device from the following options: Very easy, somewhat easy, difficult, very difficult.

  11. Quality of Life Measured by Headache Impact Test (HIT-6)

    Time frame: End of each study period (each study period was 4 weeks)

    The HIT-6 measures impact of headaches on ability to function at work, at home and in social situations. Subjects answer 6 questions about ability to function and normal daily life and for each question they rate the impact of their headaches as 'never' (6 points) or 'rarely' (9 points) or 'sometimes' (10 points) or 'very often' (11 points) or 'always' (13 points). Minimum score = 36, maximum score = 78.

    Higher score is worse and lower score is better quality of life

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

ElectroCore INC

Industry

Registry information

Official study title

A Prospective, Multi-centre, Randomized, Double-blind, Sham-controlled Study of gammaCore® Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulator (nVNS), for the Acute Treatment of Migraine

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2016
Study completion
2017
First posted
Feb 19, 2016
Registry last updated
Aug 2, 2019

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.

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