Low-level transcutaneous electrical vagus nerve stimulation suppresses atrial fibrillation

Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Stavros StavrakisSunny S Po

Abstract

Transcutaneous low-level tragus electrical stimulation (LLTS) suppresses atrial fibrillation (AF) in canines. This study examined the antiarrhythmic and anti-inflammatory effects of LLTS in humans. Patients with paroxysmal AF who presented for AF ablation were randomized to either 1 h of LLTS (n = 20) or sham control (n = 20). Attaching a flat metal clip onto the tragus produced LLTS (20 Hz) in the right ear (50% lower than the voltage slowing the sinus rate). Under general anesthesia, AF was induced by burst atrial pacing at baseline and after 1 h of LLTS or sham treatment. Blood samples from the coronary sinus and the femoral vein were collected at those time points and then analyzed for inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha and C-reactive protein, using a multiplex immunoassay. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the 2 groups. Pacing-induced AF duration decreased significantly by 6.3 ± 1.9 min compared with baseline in the LLTS group, but not in the control subjects (p = 0.002 for comparison between groups). AF cycle length increased significantly from baseline by 28.8 ± 6.5 ms in the LLTS group, but not in control subjects (p = 0.0002 for comparison between groups). Systemic...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 8, 2016·Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology : an International Journal of Arrhythmias and Pacing·Xia ShengShuyan Li
Feb 20, 2016·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·Valentin Fuster
Apr 13, 2015·International Journal of Cardiology·Zhuo WangHong Jiang
Oct 7, 2015·Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society·Yuemei HouSunny S Po
May 20, 2015·Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine·Stavros Stavrakis, Sunny S Po
Aug 19, 2015·Heart Rhythm : the Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society·Songyun WangHong Jiang
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Aug 22, 2015·Journal of the American College of Cardiology·Stavros StavrakisSunny S Po
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