Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Inflammatory Biomarkers after Large Vessel Occlusion Stroke: Results of a Prospective Randomized Open-Label Blinded Endpoint Trial.

ABSTRACT: Inflammation exacerbates brain injury following acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) reduces systemic inflammation, but its efficacy in AIS remains unexplored. We examined the safety and anti-inflammatory effect of taVNS in AIS patients. Prospective Randomized Open-label blinded endpoint design, sham-controlled trial. Anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO) AIS patients were assigned to twice-daily taVNS or sham stimulation for five days or until discharge. Inclusion criteria: age≥18 years, NIHSS≥6, anterior circulation LVO, and enrollment within 36-hours of last known normal (LKN). Primary endpoints were changes in inflammatory biomarkers (interleukins (IL)-1β, 6, 10, 17α, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) on Days 0, 1, 3, 5,

SUBMITTER: Laurido-Soto OJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12722435 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature