Effects of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the nutritional status of patients in a persistent vegetative state: A pilot study.

Purpose: This paper presents a preliminary study on whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can modulate the nutritional status of persistent vegetative state (PVS) patients (the primary endpoint) by regulating the intestinal flora and the metabolites, with the correlation between them also investigated.

Methods: Seventy-six patients with PVS were selected and divided into the observation group ( = 38) and the control group ( = 38) by random numerical grouping. All subjects' stool samples were examined for metabolites and analyzed regarding the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content.