Acute right-sided transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation significantly increased cardio-vagal baroreflex gain by 1.9 ms/mmHg compared to baseline in patients with chronic heart failure.
RCT (n=16)
Single-blind
1:1 randomized order
No
Does acute transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation improve cardio-vagal baroreflex gain in patients with chronic heart failure and LVEF < 50%?
Acute right-sided transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation safely improves cardio-vagal baroreflex gain in patients with heart failure and reduced or mildly reduced ejection fraction.
Effect estimate: Mean difference 1.9 ms/mmHg
Absolute Event Rate: 7.5% vs 5.6%
p-value: p=<0.001
PURPOSE: The aim of this paper is to investigate the acute effects of short-term transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) on cardio-vagal baroreflex gain and heart rate variability in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS: A total of 16 adults with CHF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 0.05), and no patients complained of discomfort or any adverse effect. Right-sided tVNS was associated with a significant increase in cardio-vagal baroreflex gain (from 5.6 ± 3.1 to 7.5 ± 3.8 ms/mmHg, ∆ 1.9 ± 1.6 ms/mmHg, p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acute right-sided tVNS increases cardio-vagal baroreflex gain in patients with CHF and LVEF < 50%, with no tolerability concerns.
Gentile et al. (Mon,) conducted a rct in Chronic heart failure with LVEF < 50% (n=16). Right-sided transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) vs. Baseline and Left-sided tVNS was evaluated on Cardio-vagal baroreflex gain (Mean difference 1.9 ms/mmHg, p=<0.001). Acute right-sided transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation significantly increased cardio-vagal baroreflex gain by 1.9 ms/mmHg compared to baseline in patients with chronic heart failure.