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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Alethios, Inc. | INDUSTRY |
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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a wearable brain stimulation device called NettleEndo can reduce chronic pelvic pain and improve wellbeing in women with endometriosis. The study also aims to assess the safety and usability of the device when used at home over several months.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Researchers will compare two groups-one receiving active brain stimulation and one receiving a sham (placebo) stimulation-to see if the active device provides greater improvements in symptoms.
Participants will:
All activities are completed remotely using a smartphone app. Participants can contact the study team with questions at any time. The study is double-blind, meaning neither participants nor the researchers assessing outcomes will know who received active or sham treatment until the end of the trial.
This is a decentralized, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy, safety, and usability of the NettleEndo device for managing endometriosis-associated symptoms. The device delivers transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and is used at home for 20 minutes per session, five sessions per week, over 12 weeks. The stimulation targets the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and primary motor cortex (M1), both of which are involved in the modulation of pain and emotional regulation.
Participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either active or sham stimulation. The sham group receives a brief stimulation ramp-up (2 mA for 20 seconds) to mimic sensation but no sustained current. All participants use the same wearable device, complete self-report measures through a mobile app, and are blinded to group assignment.
Data are collected using the Alethios platform, a compliant digital health system that supports electronic informed consent, daily and monthly questionnaires, adverse event tracking, and automated session logging. Optional wearable integration allows for passive data capture, including sleep, activity, and heart rate variability.
The trial includes a 12-week treatment period followed by a 90-day follow-up phase. Outcomes include pain intensity, mood, sleep, and quality of life. Randomization is stratified by pain level and menstrual cycle status. Interim analyses are planned after approximately one-third and two-thirds of participants complete the intervention.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active tDCS - NettleEndo Device | Experimental | Participants assigned to this arm will receive active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) using the NettleEndo wearable device. The device delivers 2 mA of stimulation for 20 minutes per session, five sessions per week, for a total of 12 weeks. Stimulation is delivered over the left primary motor cortex (M1) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) using pre-programmed settings. Participants complete all sessions at home and log outcomes via a mobile app. Device use is monitored remotely through digital logs. |
|
| Sham tDCS - NettleEndo Device | Sham Comparator | Participants assigned to this arm will receive sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) using the NettleEndo wearable device. The device mimics the sensation of active stimulation by ramping up to 2 mA for 20 seconds before turning off, with no therapeutic current delivered for the remainder of the 20-minute session. Participants use the device five times per week for 12 weeks. Sessions are completed at home, and outcome measures are recorded via a mobile app. Device use is remotely monitored via app-based logging. Participants and investigators are blinded to group allocation. |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NettleEndo | Device | The NettleEndo device is a portable, home-use transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) system designed to deliver low-intensity electrical stimulation to targeted brain regions. The device delivers a constant current of 2 mA in the active stimulation group, targeting the left primary motor cortex (M1) and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) through pre-set electrode positioning. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in daily endometriosis-associated pain intensity (NRS) | Average change from baseline in daily self-reported pain intensity related to endometriosis, using a 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). This will be measured separately for dysmenorrhea (Dysmenorrhea NRS; DYS NRS) and non-menstrual pelvic pain (Non-Menstrual Pelvic Pain; NMPP NRS). Collected via mobile app. A decrease in NRS, NMPP NRS and DYS NRS scores indicate a better outcome, as it reflects reduced pain intensity. | Daily, throughout the study (6 months) |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Change in endometriosis-specific quality of life (EHP-30) | Change from baseline in total and subscale scores on the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30), a 30-item scale assessing the quality of life specific to endometriosis. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = "Not at all," 5 = "Extremely"). The scale includes subscales for Pain, Work, Social Relationships, Health, Sexual Activity, and Emotion, each with its own set of items. The total score ranges from 0 to 120, where 0 = No impact on quality of life and 120 = Maximum impact on quality of life. A higher score indicates worse quality of life. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Device adherence (number of sessions completed) | Total number of NettleEndo sessions completed over the 12-week intervention period, recorded by the device and app logs. | Week 1 to Week 12 |
| Exploratory - Change in pain catastrophizing (PCS) |
Inclusion Criteria
For menstruating participants, all of the following need to be met:
For non-menstruating patients, all required:
Exclusion Criteria
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| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nirav Shah, MD, MPH | Contact | +1 650-206-8006 | nirav@investigator.alethios.com | |
| Zeenia Framroze, BA MPhil | Contact | support@alethios.com |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Nirav Shah, MD, MPH | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alethios, Inc. | Recruiting | San Francisco | California | 94109 | United States |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D004715 | Endometriosis |
| D004412 | Dysmenorrhea |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D005831 | Genital Diseases, Female |
| D052776 | Female Urogenital Diseases |
| D005261 | Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications |
| D000091642 | Urogenital Diseases |
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This is a two-arm, parallel assignment clinical trial in which participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) or sham stimulation using the NettleEndo wearable device. Each participant remains in their assigned group throughout the 12-week intervention period. The study is double-blind: neither participants nor outcome assessors know group assignment.
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| Sham NettleEndo Device | Device | The sham version of the NettleEndo device is visually identical to the active device and is used under the same schedule. The device is pre-programmed to deliver a brief 2 mA current for 20 seconds at the beginning of each session to mimic the initial skin sensations of active stimulation, after which no current is delivered for the remainder of the session. This allows participants to remain blinded to their group assignment. The device is used with the same electrode positioning as the active version. |
|
| Monthly starting at baseline until the end of the study (6 months) |
| Change in general health status (EQ-5D-5L) | Change from baseline in EQ-5D-5L index scores, a 5-item scale assessing general health status. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = No problems, 5 = Unable to do). The total index score is calculated based on responses across all five domains, with the score ranging from 0 (representing worst possible health) to 1 (representing best possible health). A higher score indicates better health status. | Monthly starting at baseline until the end of the study (6 months) |
| Change in severity of illness and improvement over time (CGI) | The Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale is a brief, 3-item rating tool used by clinicians to assess the severity of a patient's illness, their improvement over time, and the efficacy of their treatment. | Monthly starting at baseline until the end of the study (6 months) |
Change from baseline in total score on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), which consists of 13 items, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Not at all, 4 = Extremely). The total score ranges from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating more severe pain catastrophizing.
| Monthly starting at baseline until the end of the study (6 months) |
| Exploratory - Change in insomnia severity (ISI) | Change from baseline in total score on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), a 7-item self-report measure where each item is rated on a 0 to 4 scale. The total score is the sum of these ratings, with scores ranging from 0 to 28, where 0 = No insomnia and 28 = Severe insomnia. A higher score indicates worse insomnia severity. | Monthly starting at baseline until the end of the study (6 months) |
| Daily medication use (analgesic and hormonal) | Daily use of pain medications and hormonal treatments recorded by participants via mobile app. | Daily, throughout the study (6 months) |
| Exploratory - Change in depressive symptoms (PHQ-8) | Change from baseline in total score on the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), a screening tool for depression that uses a 4-point Likert scale for each of its eight items. The total score ranges from 0 to 24, with 0 = No depressive symptoms and 24 = Severe depressive symptoms. A higher score indicates more severe depressive symptoms. | Monthly starting at baseline until the end of the study (6 months) |
| Exploratory - Change in cyclical mood and physical symptoms (DRSP) | Change in symptoms assessed using the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP), a validated tool for tracking mood, behavioural, and physical symptoms across the menstrual cycle. Participants rate symptoms daily via mobile app on a 1-6 scale, where 1 = No symptoms and 6 = Severe symptoms. A decrease in DRSP scores indicates a better outcome, reflecting reduced mood and physical symptoms. | Daily, throughout the study (6 months) |
| Incidence of device-related adverse events | Number and severity of adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) deemed related to the NettleEndo device. | Week 1 to Day 90 follow-up |
| Menstrual cycle characteristics and timing | Participants complete daily menstruation tracking using a mobile app, recording onset and duration of bleeding. | Daily, throughout the study (6 months) |
| Exploratory analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) | Heart rate variability (HRV) data will be collected from participants who opt in to wearable integration. HRV will be used in exploratory analyses to assess physiological patterns during the intervention and follow-up phases. | Daily, throughout the study (6 months) |
| Exploratory analysis of step count | Step count data will be collected from participants who opt in to wearable integration. Step count will be used in exploratory analyses to assess behavioural patterns during the intervention and follow-up phases. | Daily, throughout the study (6 months) |
| Exploratory analysis of sleep metrics | Sleep metrics will be collected from participants who opt in to wearable integration. These data will be used in exploratory analyses to assess physiological patterns during the intervention and follow-up phases. | Daily, throughout the study (6 months) |
| D000091662 | Genital Diseases |
| D008599 | Menstruation Disturbances |
| D010335 | Pathologic Processes |
| D013568 | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms |
| D017699 | Pelvic Pain |
| D010146 | Pain |
| D009461 | Neurologic Manifestations |
| D012816 | Signs and Symptoms |