Summary
Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing is tracked by OSMF as an investigational option for Long COVID; no regulator has approved it for this indication, and most post-viral conditions have no approved disease-modifying therapy at all. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1 registered trial linking Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing to Long COVID: 1 is active or not yet recruiting. None of the registered studies carries a drug-development phase label, which is typical for behavioural, device and supplement protocols. It plans or enrolled 100 participants. Registered activity dates to 2025. The literature layer holds 17 publications for this pair: 2 systematic reviews, 1 clinical trial publication, 6 PubMed search records and 8 other publications. Publication years run from 2025 to 2026. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
Long COVID / PASC is tracked on the OSMF post-viral programme alongside ME/CFS, Long COVID, POTS and MCAS. Across the programme, 423 candidate agents are logged for Long COVID, most of them preliminary; this page isolates the record for one of them.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | C · Preliminary |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 29.0 (trials 2.0, literature 22.0, tier 5, approved bonus 0.0) |
| Registered trials | 1 total: 0 recruiting, 1 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 17 (8 other publications, 6 PubMed search records, 2 systematic reviews, 1 clinical trial publication) |
| Agent type | Device (Medical Device) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Investigational |
| Mechanism / class | Neurological / Autonomic |
| Data sources | OSMF therapeutic agent database, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06996314 | Effects of Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Combined With Slow-paced Breathing on Individuals With Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrom Ali Kapan · 2025 | not yet recruiting | Not applicable | 100 |
Published literature
- PubMed record (biomarker-intervention search) The stress-myopia pathway: A pivotal hub in myopia pathogenesis.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2026 · PMID 41933675
- PubMed record (biomarker-intervention search) Stress, inflammation, and resilience among patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma undergoing multimodal therapy: Current knowledge and future directions.Tzu chi medical journal · 2026 · PMID 41669332
- PubMed record (biomarker-intervention search) Effects of Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation, Neurofeedback, and their Combination on Cortisol, Anxiety, and Depression Subtypes in Non-Clinical Adults.Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback · 2026 · PMID 41493526
- PubMed record (biomarker-intervention search) The heart knows best: baseline heart rate variability as guide to transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in depression.Translational psychiatry · 2025 · PMID 41353184
- PubMed record (biomarker-intervention search) Effect of adding noninvasive auricular Vagal nerve stimulation to exercise program on emotional eating and stress responsiveness in patient with metabolic syndrome.Disability and rehabilitation · 2025 · PMID 40382680
- PubMed record (biomarker-intervention search) Effects of Auricular Stimulation on Inflammatory Parameters: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society · 2025 · PMID 39998453
- Clinical trial publication (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 39969545
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 42279108
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 41836927
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 41594661
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 40416015
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 39444752
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 37841213
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 37402856
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 36700201
- Systematic review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 39089436
- Systematic review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 36642173
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: Neurological / Autonomic.
Clinical notes: Investigational for listed conditions. 1 associated trial(s) and 0 study reference(s) in current data. Review primary sources and consult specialists before use.
Safety: Limited specific safety data in these populations. Review full prescribing information and consult specialist. Many agents used off-label or investigational.
Dosing in studies: See linked studies/trials for reported doses and durations; typical protocols vary widely.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing approved for Long COVID?
Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing is tracked by OSMF as an investigational option for Long COVID; no regulator has approved it for this indication, and most post-viral conditions have no approved disease-modifying therapy at all. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing in clinical trials for Long COVID?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1 registered trial linking Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing to Long COVID: 1 is active or not yet recruiting. None of the registered studies carries a drug-development phase label, which is typical for behavioural, device and supplement protocols. It plans or enrolled 100 participants. Registered activity dates to 2025.
What does the evidence show for Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing in Long COVID?
Trials of Tvns + Slow-Paced Breathing in Long COVID are registered but none has completed, so there is no outcome evidence from those studies yet; the record is a signal of research interest. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is C (Preliminary), taken from the OSMF therapeutic agent database, which grades agents by the volume and design of condition-specific evidence rather than by effect size.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-10-07. Page built 2026-10-07.