Transauricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Acute Ischaemic Stroke Requiring Mechanical Thrombectomy: Sham-Controlled, Randomised Device Trial.

ABSTRACT: Autonomic dysfunction leads to hemodynamic instability and immunosuppression after ischaemic stroke, and is independently associated with worse outcomes. We hypothesized that non-invasive peripheral neuromodulation, using transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS), may reduce blood pressure variability and/or reverse immunosuppression early after ischaemic stroke requiring mechanical thrombectomy (MT). In this pre-registered phase 2 study (NCT05417009), we randomized 36 patients >18 years referred for emergent MT following an acute ischaemic stroke. Patients were randomized to receive bilateral auricular active-tVNS or sham-tVNS, for the entire MT and the morning after admission. Participants, clinicians and investigators were masked to treatment allocations. The primary outco

SUBMITTER: Ackland GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12743696 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature