Effect of Percutaneous Auricular Nerve Stimulation on Fatigue in Adults with Post-COVID Fatigue (PAuSing-pCF): Results of a Randomised, Sham-Controlled Trial
Shahmandi M, Cherlin S, Germann M, Maffitt NJ, Burton OA, Ashhad A, Baker AME, Charlton N, Baker AS, Zaaimi B, et al.
NIHR Open Research · 2026
Key finding
In a three-arm randomised trial, auricular nerve stimulation produced no significant difference in post-COVID fatigue versus sham or placebo at eight weeks; fatigue fell similarly across all arms.
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- Condition
- Long COVID
- Stimulation
- taVNS
- Evidence tier
- Randomised Controlled Trial
- Participants
- 114
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Cite this study
Shahmandi, M., Cherlin, S., Germann, M., Maffitt, N. J., Burton, O. A., Ashhad, A., Baker, A. M. E., Charlton, N., Baker, A. S., Zaaimi, B., Ng, W. F., Soteropoulos, D. S., Baker, S. N., Wason, J. M. S., & Baker, M. R. (2026). Effect of Percutaneous Auricular Nerve Stimulation on Fatigue in Adults with Post-COVID Fatigue (PAuSing-pCF): Results of a Randomised, Sham-Controlled Trial. NIHR Open Research, 6, 35. https://doi.org/10.3310/nihropenres.14236.1
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