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Table 2 Outcomes of the tDCS side effects questionnaire, STAI-6, adverse events and dropout: incidence rates and mean item scores

From: Acceptability of tDCS in treating stress-related mental health disorders: a mixed methods study among military patients and caregivers

Dropout rate

 

tDCS

4% (n = 2)

Reasons:

• The first dropout patient got a mild panic attack before the first session, during the tDCS work-up procedure to familiarize participants with tDCS sensations. He preferred to quit the intervention afterwards.

 

Sham

0% (n = 0)

 

• The second dropout patient was admitted to an intensive in-house therapy after the second tDCS session, preventing him from finishing the remaining tDCS sessions of the intervention.

Side effects during tDCS sessions (self-report questionnaire)

 

Acute change in mood

Burning

Difficulty concen-trating

Dizziness

Head ache

Itching

Nausea

Neck pain

Pain on the skull

Red skin after session

Sleepi-ness

Tingling

Incidence (severity score > 1)

tDCS

18%

46%

67%

16%

29%

55%

4%

19%

11%

3%

55%

54%

Sham

16%

29%

69%

11%

27%

30%

4%

19%

9%

6%

44%

49%

Attribution to tDCS

tDCS

2,5

3,4

2,1

2,8

2,5

3,3

2,5

1,8

2,9

3,5

2,4

3,1

Sham

2,2

3,0

1,8

2,8

2,1

2,9

3,4

1,5

2,7

3,2

1,9

3,1

Current strength and comfort during tDCS sessions (self-report questionnaire)

 

Perceived current strength

SD

Comfort

SD

       
 

tDCS

3,5

2,5

6,2

2,2

       
 

Sham

2,4

2,2

6,8

2,2

       

Adverse events outside the research visits (researcher reports)

  

Head ache

Nausea

Dizziness

Fatigue

Insomnia

Feeling tense

Depressed mood

Red/sensitive skin at electrode site

  

Incidence

tDCS

43%

4%

6%

28%

4%

11%

6%

8%

  
 

Sham

41%

8%

12%

14%

8%

20%

6%

4%

  

Severity

 

1,5

1,6

1,5

1,9

1,7

1,8

1,8

1,2

  

Duration

 

< 1 day

< 1 day

< 1 day

< 1 day

2–3 days

< 1 day

1–2 days

< 1 day

  

Change in emotional state from pre- to post-session (STAI-6)

 

Calm

SD

Tense

SD

Upset

SD

Relaxed

SD

Content

SD

Worried

SD

 

tDCS

-0,1

0,4

0

0,4

0

0,2

0

0,4

-0,1

0,3

-0,1

0,2

 

Sham

-0,1

0,3

+ 0,1

0,3

+ 0,1

0,2

-0,1

0,3

0

0,3

-0,1

0,2

  1. SD standard deviation