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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Autonomic Neuroscience
Volume 19 - 2025 |
doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1525027
This article is part of the Research Topic Expanding Therapeutic Horizons with Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation View all 4 articles
Low-Level Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation lowers blood pressure and heart rate in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients: a Selfcontrolled Study
Provisionally accepted- 1 Fuzhou First Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- 2 School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
- 3 Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- 4 Department of Geriatrics, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital South Campus, Shanghai, China
Objective To investigate the effects of low-level auricular vagus nerve stimulation (LL-aVNS) on blood pressure and heart rate in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Methods A total of 22 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation diagnosed in Fuzhou First General Hospital Affiliated with Fujian Medical University from September 2021 to December 2022 were selected and given LL-aVNS treatment based on the original unchanged drug treatment for 4 weeks. The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate maximum (HRmax), heart rate minimum (HRmin), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left atrial diameter (LAD), Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale (AFSS) symptom subscale, and Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Heart Failure (MSAS-HF) before and after the treatment were observed and compared. In addition, adverse effects of the LL-aVNS procedure and 6-month follow-up were recorded. Results SBP, DBP, and HRmin were lower after the treatment than before the treatment (p<0.05); AFSS symptom subscale scores and MSAS-HF scores after the treatment were lower before the treatment (p<0.05); itching of the skin was observed in one case during the course of LL-aVNS; and two patients were hospitalized for acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure between 4 months and 6 months after the treatment. Conclusion LL-aVNS in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can assist in controlling blood pressure and heart rate, effectively relieving symptoms, and the treatment process is safe and feasible.
Keywords: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, low-level auricular vagus nerve stimulation, Autonomic Nervous System, Blood pressure and heart rate, Feasibility and safety
Received: 08 Nov 2024; Accepted: 16 Jan 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Jiang, Su, Xiao, Cheng, Hou and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Yuemei Hou, Department of Geriatrics, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital South Campus, Shanghai, China
Yan Zhang, Fuzhou First Hospital, Fuzhou, China
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