Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a pilot, open-label study

Aim: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a frequent disease, associating chronic abdominal pain and abnormal bowel habits. The sympatho-vagal balance may be altered in IBS. We tested the effect of transcutaneous auricular stimulation of the left vagus nerve (taVNS) on symptoms and physiological and biological variables. Patients & methods: Twelve IBS women agreed to apply taVNS for 6 months. Evaluation was based on feasibility, symptoms, psychological questionnaires, fecal caprotectin, blood cytokines and bowel transit times. Results: Nine patients completed the trial: there was a significant improvement of symptoms at 3 and 6 months although none of the measured variables were modified by taVNS. Conclusion: The results suggest taVNS is feasible and may improve IBS symptoms. Randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results. ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02420158.