Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40208134›Full record

ArticleNeuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society2025

Auricular Allodynia is Associated With Worse Outcomes in Children With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders Using Neurostimulation.

Neha R Santucci, Umber Waheed, Jesse Li, Sherief Mansi, Kahleb Graham, Jennifer Hardy, Megan M Miller, Rashmi Sahay, Khalil El-Chammas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Neha R SantucciDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. Electronic address: neha.santucci@cchmc.org.
Umber WaheedDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Jesse LiDivision of Gastroenterology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Sherief MansiDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Kahleb GrahamDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Jennifer HardyDivision of Gastroenterology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Megan M MillerDivision of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Rashmi SahayDivision of Biostatistics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Khalil El-ChammasDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Gastroenterology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.

Funding

Stem Cell/Organoid and Genome Editing CoreP30DK078392 · NIDDK · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI Alexander Miethke · 2007 to 2026
$24.4M
Disrupted sleep architecture in adolescents with functional abdominal pain disordersK23DK135797 · NIDDK · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · PI Neha Richard Santucci · 2023 to 2026
$765k
NIDDK NIH HHS K23 DK135797NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK078392
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsPercutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation (PENFS) is a minimally invasive, nonpharmacologic approach to treat children with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD). Allodynia refers to pain from a stimulus that does not usually provoke pain. We aimed to characterize auricular allodynia during PENFS and associate it with outcomes. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study reviewing charts of patients who underwent PENFS for an FAPD. We included demographic data, medical history, and validated questionnaire responses. Allodynia was noted through physician notes of localized ear pain, soreness, or tenderness. Baseline clinical scores and PENFS outcomes were compared in patients with and without allodynia.

resultsOf 219 patients with FAPD (mean age 16.2 ± 2.7 years), 79% were female, and 87% were Caucasian; 28% of patients experienced allodynia with no significant demographic differences. The most common gastrointestinal symptoms were abdominal pain (100%) and nausea (70%), and the most common FAPD diagnoses included irritable bowel syndrome (58%) and functional dyspepsia (54%). Of the 93 total visits with allodynia, 44% of the visits had patients report allodynia once and 34% twice. Common interventions included placing <four of the usual leads (19%) and early device removal (10%). Patients with allodynia had significantly greater Abdominal Pain Index, pain catastrophizing, Functional Disability Inventory, and insomnia scores (p < 0.05) at treatment completion than did those without allodynia.

conclusionAllodynia in patients with FAPD who underwent PENFS had worse clinical outcomes. Excitation thresholds of rapidly conducting Aβ fibers in the ear are lower than those of nociceptive slowly conducting Aδ and C fibers. Patients with allodynia may require adjustment of nerve fiber stimulation to improve outcomes.

Indexed as

Abdominal PainHyperalgesiaTranscutaneous Electric Nerve StimulationAdolescentChildCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMalePain MeasurementRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeFunctional abdominal painirritable bowel syndromenerve stimulationpediatricsside effect

Identifiers

PMID40208134
PMCPMC12278991

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.