{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nAtrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common complications following cardiac surgery, with reported incidence rates reaching up to 44%. Transcutaneous low-level vagus nerve stimulation (TLL-VNS) has shown potential in reducing the risk of postoperative AF by modulating autonomic nervous system activity, suppressing inflammation, and regulating atrial ganglionic function.Methods\n\nThe Vagus-Heart Trial is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study designed to evaluate the efficacy of TLL-VNS in preventing postoperative AF. A total of 140 patients undergoing elective cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are randomly assigned to receive either active TLL-VNS or sham stimulation. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AF within the first week after surgery. Secondary endpoints include the duration of AF within the first week after surgery, surgical parameters, vital signs, inflammatory markers, renal function, surgical prognosis, and stress response biomarkers.Discussion\n\nThis trial is the first large-scale, randomized, sham-controlled study to evaluate TLL-VNS for the prevention of postoperative AF in patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery with CPB. If proven effective, TLL-VNS could represent a novel, non-invasive, and cost-effective strategy to enhance postoperative recovery and reduce the burden of AF in this high-risk population.Trial registration\n\nChictr.org.cn Identifer: ChiCTR2400080750. Registered on 6 February 2024.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China.",
    "Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.",
    "Department of Cardiac Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China. lijiwen@zju.edu.cn.",
    "Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, China. 3316088@zju.edu.cn."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Lindi Bian"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yuwei Shi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Tieshuai Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ying Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jiwen Li"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Jun Zhang",
      "orcid": "0009-0003-7597-3376"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7eynphzqvszya.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s12906-026-05510-3",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13729560",
  "id": "7eynphzqvszya",
  "issns": [
    "2662-7671"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972365",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2808|Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7196961541",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13729560?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13729560",
  "pmid": "42972365",
  "published": "2026-08-06",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7eynphzqvszya.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-04T15:20:49Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42972365",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42972365"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2808|Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research",
      "subfield": "neurology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Transcutaneous low-level vagus nerve stimulation for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.",
  "title_text": "Transcutaneous low-level vagus nerve stimulation for the prevention of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-05T03:21:01Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7eynphzqvszya",
  "venue": "BMC complementary medicine and therapies",
  "versions": []
}