Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Poor Weight-Loss Response to Incretin Receptor Agonists

Summary

This is a single-center, randomized, participant-blinded, sham-controlled pilot trial designed to evaluate the adjunctive effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in overweight or obese patients who show a suboptimal weight-loss response to incretin receptor agonist therapy. A total of 24 participants will be randomly assigned to receive either taVNS plus tirzepatide 5 mg or sham stimulation plus tirzepatide 5 mg for 12 weeks. The primary objective is to compare the percent change in body weight from baseline to week 12 between the two groups.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Individuals with obesity, or overweight accompanied by at least one weight-related comorbidity (e.g., hypertension or fatty liver disease), who have been receiving incretin receptor agonist therapy for at least 6 months and have achieved ≤10% weight loss during treatment;
2. Willingness to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Presence of diseases that may substantially affect body weight homeostasis, including Cushing's syndrome, uncontrolled thyroid disease (thyroid-stimulating hormone \>6.0 mIU/L or \<0.4 mIU/L), malignancy, or similar conditions;
2. Use within the past 3 months of medications, other than incretin receptor agonists, that may significantly affect body weight, including glucocorticoids and antipsychotic agents;
3. Skin infection or damage involving the auricular area;
4. Women planning pregnancy in the near future;
5. Contraindications to MRI, such as metallic prostheses or claustrophobia;
6. Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus; Inability to complete the 12-week intervention period for practical reasons, such as frequent business travel or planned travel.

Conditions2

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