Atrial FibrillationSTOP_AFNCT04514757
Transcutaneous (Tragus) Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Post-op Afib
A study testing active tVNS in people with Atrial Fibrillation, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 2 sites in United States.
Trial summary
Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are at high risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), with estimated rates of 30-50% and occurs at approximately 2-4 days after surgery. The autonomic nervous system is known to play a key role in AF. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Atrial Fibrillation
- What is being tested?
- active tVNS
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 77 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 20 Sep 2021to 25 Apr 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 80 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients scheduled to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery, major vascular/aneurysm repair requiring bypass, valvular replacement or repair, or both, for clinically indicated reasons.
- Age ≥ 18 years.
- Sinus rhythm at baseline.
- Provision of signed informed consent and stated willingness to comply with all study procedures for duration of the study
Who cannot join
- Emergent surgery
- Anticipated amiodarone use
- Patients with permanent or persistent atrial fibrillation
- Planned concomitant atrial Maze procedure
- Complex congenital heart disease
- Women who are pregnant (as evidenced by pregnancy test if pre-menopausal).
Show all 14Show fewer
- Left ventricular assist device or status post orthotopic heart or lung transplantation
- Unable or unwilling to comply with protocol requirements.
- Known channelopathy such as Brugada syndrome, long QT syndrome, or Catecholaminergic monomorphic ventricular tachycardia
- Symptomatic sinus bradycardia or sinus node dysfunction at baseline without an implantable pacemaker.
- Complete heart block or trifascicular block without an implantable pacemaker
- Recurrent vasovagal syncope
- Unilateral or bilateral vagotomy
- Chronic amiodarone use
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
United States2 sites
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, 90095
University of Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104
About this study
Official title: Transcutaneous (Tragus) Vagal Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) for Post-op Atrial Fibrillation (POAF)
Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are at high risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), with estimated rates of 30-50% and occurs at approximately 2-4 days after surgery. The autonomic nervous system is known to play a key role in AF. Animal studies have indicated that duration and inducibility of AF can be decreased with intermittent vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). In humans, literature suggests that transcutaneous (tragus) VNS (tVNS) can serve as a potentially non-invasive therapy for treatment of post-operative AF (POAF) by reducing inflammation and increasing atrial refractory period. The purpose of this study is to determine the value of tVNS in reducing the burden of POAF and days of hospitalization after cardiac surgery.
Read the detailed description
The trial will have two study arms: active tVNS vs. sham tVNS. Patients will be randomized to active tVNS vs. sham tVNS and will receive optimal post-op care in both arms. Active tVNS (Parasym device, Parasym Health, Inc, London, UK) will be performed with a clip attached to the ear at 20 hertz (Hz), 250 microseconds (ms) at a current just below discomfort threshold for one hour twice a day, starting on post-day 0. For sham tVNS, Parasym device will be attached to the ear twice a day, turned on but current set to 0 milliamp (mA), starting on post-op day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-op or discharge. Discomfort threshold will be determined in both arms pre-operatively in the conscious state. This current will be used for stimulation for this patient until they are awake and extubated after surgery. The stimulation threshold may be reassessed once the patient is able to provide feedback.
Patients will be approached and recruited prior to their scheduled cardiac surgery. Recruited patients who give informed consent will have the discomfort stimulation threshold (current that leads to discomfort at the tragus) determined prior to surgery. Post-operatively, stimulation will be performed in the tVNS group at just below discomfort threshold. In the sham group, the stimulator will be turned on but current set at 0 mA. Stimulations will be performed within 12 hours of arrival to the ICU after surgery, and then twice a day between the hours of 7:00-9:00 am and 6:00-8:00 pm. If POAF develops in either arm, stimulation will be continued for the full 5 days. Ten ml of blood will be drawn within 12 hours of arrival to the ICU after surgery and on day 3 post-op for measurement of biomarkers. Serum will be stored at -80 Celsius and processed in batches of 10-15 samples.
Sample Size:
The investigators expect cardiac surgery to be associated with 40% incidence of POAF. The investigators expect tVNS to reduce this incidence by 40%. A sample size of 133 subjects per arm will be able to achieve 80% power at alpha of 0.05. If interim analysis is planned, Pocock method will be used and a p value of 0.03 will be used for interim and 0.03 for final analysis. Data will be analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle.
Randomization:
A 1:1 randomization ratio for the tVNS vs. sham will be utilized. Patients who meet all of the inclusion and none of the exclusion criteria will be randomized in the order of their enrollment. After completing the Informed Consent process, the subject is then randomized following completion of the baseline and demographics information case report forms. Randomization should occur prior to any study-related tests or procedures. The subjects will be considered enrolled in the study once randomization has occurred.
Randomization will be stratified by clinical center and post-operative amiodarone use. A computer-generated randomization list with random permuted block of a variable will be produced for each clinical center. Investigators and other study staff members should not be able to identify the study assignment until this time. If a randomization assignment is inadvertently disclosed prior to use, the assignment will never be used.
A report of randomization compliance will be generated at the conclusion of the study.
- Conditions
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Being tested
- active tVNS, sham tVNS
- Keywords
- post-operative atrial fibrillation, transcutaneous (tragus) vagal nerve stimulation, outcomes
- Medical subject headings
- Atrial Fibrillation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
active tVNSDevice
20 Hz, 250ms at a current just below discomfort threshold for one hour twice a day, starting on post-day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge.
sham tVNSDevice
Current set a 0 mA, starting on post-op day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group | Experimental | Active tVNS (Parasym device, Parasym Health, Inc, London, UK) will be performed with a clip attached to ear at 20 Hz, 250ms at a current just below discomfort threshold for one hour twice a day, starting on post-day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge. Receives: Device: active tVNS |
| Control Group | Sham comparator | Sham tVNS will be performed by attaching the Parasym device to the ear and setting output to 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge. Receives: Device: sham tVNS |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of Participants With Atrial Fibrillation
Incidence of post-operative atrial fibrillation for postoperative day 0-5 (postop day 0 is the day of the surgery and is the first day of the time frame and postoperative day 5 is the 6th day).
Measured: 6 days
Secondary outcomes (7)
Days of Hospitalization
Number of days in the hospital from postoperative day 0 to discharge.
Measured: Postop day 0 until discharge from the hospital, an average of 1 week.
Inflammatory Markers
Reduction in inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin 10 (IL-10), Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), and Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β)
Measured: Within 12 hours of arrival to the ICU after surgery and on postop day 3 (2 days)
Sympathetic Neural Markers
Reduction in sympathetic neural markers including norepinephrine, Neuropeptide Y (NPY), and galanin.
Measured: Postop day 3 (1 day)
Pain Assessment
Pain scores will be assessed on postoperative days 0-5 using the visual analog score (Scale 0-10). Zero for no pain and ten being the worst pain experienced. They will be obtained and recorded into the medical record by the nurse monitoring the subject as part of standard care. Postop day 0 is the day of the surgery and is the first day of the time frame and postoperative day 5 is the 6th day.
Measured: 6 days
Narcotic Usage
The number of participants in each group that had narcotic usage reported (Y/N) postoperatively. Postop day 0 is the day of the surgery and is the first day of the time frame and postoperative day 5 is the 6th day.
Measured: 6 days
Duration of Post-op Atrial Fibrillation
How many hours or days for each incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation for postoperative days 0-5 (postop day 0 is the day of the surgery and is the first day of the time frame and postoperative day 5 is the 6th day).
Measured: 6 days
Heart Rate During Atrial Fibrillation
The heart rate during each incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation for postop days 0-5 (postop day 0 is the day of the surgery and is the first day of the time frame and postoperative day 5 is the 6th day).
Measured: 6 days
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Aug 2020
- Study start20 Sep 2021
- Primary completion25 Mar 2024
- Study completion25 Apr 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (8)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Atrial FibrillationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, Los AngelesThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 77 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Oklahoma
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jonathan K. Ho, University of California, Los Angeles
- Investigators
- Jonathan Ho, MD, Principal investigator, University of California, Los AngelesMarmar Vaseghi, MD, Principal investigator, University of California, Los AngelesStavros Stavrakis, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Oklahoma
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04514757
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 20-001636
- Acronym
- STOP_AF
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Jul 2020
- Last updated
- 22 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Maisel WH, Rawn JD, Stevenson WG. Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery. Ann Intern Med. 2001 Dec 18;135(12):1061-73. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-135-12-200112180-00010.
PubMed 11747385Aranki SF, Shaw DP, Adams DH, Rizzo RJ, Couper GS, VanderVliet M, Collins JJ Jr, Cohn LH, Burstin HR. Predictors of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery surgery. Current trends and impact on hospital resources. Circulation. 1996 Aug 1;94(3):390-7. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.94.3.390.
PubMed 8759081Chen PS, Chen LS, Fishbein MC, Lin SF, Nattel S. Role of the autonomic nervous system in atrial fibrillation: pathophysiology and therapy. Circ Res. 2014 Apr 25;114(9):1500-15. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.114.303772.
PubMed 24763467Salavatian S, Beaumont E, Longpre JP, Armour JA, Vinet A, Jacquemet V, Shivkumar K, Ardell JL. Vagal stimulation targets select populations of intrinsic cardiac neurons to control neurally induced atrial fibrillation. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2016 Nov 1;311(5):H1311-H1320. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00443.2016. Epub 2016 Sep 2.
PubMed 27591222Stavrakis S, Humphrey MB, Scherlag B, Iftikhar O, Parwani P, Abbas M, Filiberti A, Fleming C, Hu Y, Garabelli P, McUnu A, Peyton M, Po SS. Low-Level Vagus Nerve Stimulation Suppresses Post-Operative Atrial Fibrillation and Inflammation: A Randomized Study. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2017 Sep;3(9):929-938. doi: 10.1016/j.jacep.2017.02.019. Epub 2017 May 30.
PubMed 29759717Stavrakis S, Humphrey MB, Scherlag BJ, Hu Y, Jackman WM, Nakagawa H, Lockwood D, Lazzara R, Po SS. Low-level transcutaneous electrical vagus nerve stimulation suppresses atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015 Mar 10;65(9):867-75. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2014.12.026.
PubMed 25744003Stavrakis S, Stoner JA, Humphrey MB, Morris L, Filiberti A, Reynolds JC, Elkholey K, Javed I, Twidale N, Riha P, Varahan S, Scherlag BJ, Jackman WM, Dasari TW, Po SS. TREAT AF (Transcutaneous Electrical Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Suppress Atrial Fibrillation): A Randomized Clinical Trial. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2020 Mar;6(3):282-291. doi: 10.1016/j.jacep.2019.11.008. Epub 2020 Jan 29.
PubMed 32192678Andreas M, Arzl P, Mitterbauer A, Ballarini NM, Kainz FM, Kocher A, Laufer G, Wolzt M. Electrical Stimulation of the Greater Auricular Nerve to Reduce Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2019 Oct;12(10):e007711. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.119.007711. Epub 2019 Oct 10.
PubMed 31597476
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 22 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Transcutaneous (Tragus) Vagal Nerve Stimulation (tVNS) for Post-op Atrial Fibrillation (POAF)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04514757
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STOP_AF / 20-001636
- Conditions
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Keywords
- post-operative atrial fibrillation, transcutaneous (tragus) vagal nerve stimulation, outcomes
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 77 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Los AngelesUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Oklahoma
- Study start
- 20 Sep 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 25 Mar 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 25 Apr 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Aug 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 22 Sep 2026
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are at high risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), with estimated rates of 30-50% and occurs at approximately 2-4 days after surgery. The autonomic nervous system is known to play a key role in AF. Animal studies have indicated that duration and inducibility of AF can be decreased with intermittent vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). In humans, literature suggests that transcutaneous (tragus) VNS (tVNS) can serve as a potentially non-invasive therapy for treatment of post-operative AF (POAF) by reducing inflammation and increasing atrial refractory period. The purpose of this study is to determine the value of tVNS in reducing the burden of POAF and days of hospitalization after cardiac surgery.
Detailed description
The trial will have two study arms: active tVNS vs. sham tVNS. Patients will be randomized to active tVNS vs. sham tVNS and will receive optimal post-op care in both arms. Active tVNS (Parasym device, Parasym Health, Inc, London, UK) will be performed with a clip attached to the ear at 20 hertz (Hz), 250 microseconds (ms) at a current just below discomfort threshold for one hour twice a day, starting on post-day 0. For sham tVNS, Parasym device will be attached to the ear twice a day, turned on but current set to 0 milliamp (mA), starting on post-op day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-op or discharge. Discomfort threshold will be determined in both arms pre-operatively in the conscious state. This current will be used for stimulation for this patient until they are awake and extubated after surgery. The stimulation threshold may be reassessed once the patient is able to provide feedback.
Patients will be approached and recruited prior to their scheduled cardiac surgery. Recruited patients who give informed consent will have the discomfort stimulation threshold (current that leads to discomfort at the tragus) determined prior to surgery. Post-operatively, stimulation will be performed in the tVNS group at just below discomfort threshold. In the sham group, the stimulator will be turned on but current set at 0 mA. Stimulations will be performed within 12 hours of arrival to the ICU after surgery, and then twice a day between the hours of 7:00-9:00 am and 6:00-8:00 pm. If POAF develops in either arm, stimulation will be continued for the full 5 days. Ten ml of blood will be drawn within 12 hours of arrival to the ICU after surgery and on day 3 post-op for measurement of biomarkers. Serum will be stored at -80 Celsius and processed in batches of 10-15 samples.
Sample Size:
The investigators expect cardiac surgery to be associated with 40% incidence of POAF. The investigators expect tVNS to reduce this incidence by 40%. A sample size of 133 subjects per arm will be able to achieve 80% power at alpha of 0.05. If interim analysis is planned, Pocock method will be used and a p value of 0.03 will be used for interim and 0.03 for final analysis. Data will be analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle.
Randomization:
A 1:1 randomization ratio for the tVNS vs. sham will be utilized. Patients who meet all of the inclusion and none of the exclusion criteria will be randomized in the order of their enrollment. After completing the Informed Consent process, the subject is then randomized following completion of the baseline and demographics information case report forms. Randomization should occur prior to any study-related tests or procedures. The subjects will be considered enrolled in the study once randomization has occurred.
Randomization will be stratified by clinical center and post-operative amiodarone use. A computer-generated randomization list with random permuted block of a variable will be produced for each clinical center. Investigators and other study staff members should not be able to identify the study assignment until this time. If a randomization assignment is inadvertently disclosed prior to use, the assignment will never be used.
A report of randomization compliance will be generated at the conclusion of the study.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group | Experimental | Device: active tVNSActive tVNS (Parasym device, Parasym Health, Inc, London, UK) will be performed with a clip attached to ear at 20 Hz, 250ms at a current just below discomfort threshold for one hour twice a day, starting on post-day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge. |
| Control Group | Sham comparator | Device: sham tVNSSham tVNS will be performed by attaching the Parasym device to the ear and setting output to 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Patients scheduled to undergo coronary artery bypass surgery, major vascular/aneurysm repair requiring bypass, valvular replacement or repair, or both, for clinically indicated reasons.
- Age ≥ 18 years.
- Sinus rhythm at baseline.
- Provision of signed informed consent and stated willingness to comply with all study procedures for duration of the study
Key exclusion criteria (14 listed)
- Emergent surgery
- Anticipated amiodarone use
- Patients with permanent or persistent atrial fibrillation
- Planned concomitant atrial Maze procedure
- Complex congenital heart disease
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| active tVNS20 Hz, 250ms at a current just below discomfort threshold for one hour twice a day, starting on post-day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge. | Device | Intervention Group |
| sham tVNSCurrent set a 0 mA, starting on post-op day 0. Stimulation will continue until 5 days post-operatively or discharge. | Device | Control Group |
Primary outcome
Number of Participants With Atrial Fibrillation
Time frame: 6 days
Incidence of post-operative atrial fibrillation for postoperative day 0-5 (postop day 0 is the day of the surgery and is the first day of the time frame and postoperative day 5 is the 6th day).
7 secondary outcomes
Days of Hospitalization
Time frame: Postop day 0 until discharge from the hospital, an average of 1 week.
Inflammatory Markers
Time frame: Within 12 hours of arrival to the ICU after surgery and on postop day 3 (2 days)
Sympathetic Neural Markers
Time frame: Postop day 3 (1 day)
Pain Assessment
Time frame: 6 days
Narcotic Usage
Time frame: 6 days
Duration of Post-op Atrial Fibrillation
Time frame: 6 days
Heart Rate During Atrial Fibrillation
Time frame: 6 days
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 22 Sep 2026.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 11747385Maisel WH, Rawn JD, Stevenson WG. Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery. Ann Intern Med. 2001 Dec 18;135(12):1061-73. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-135-12-200112180-00010.
- Background: PubMed 8759081Aranki SF, Shaw DP, Adams DH, Rizzo RJ, Couper GS, VanderVliet M, Collins JJ Jr, Cohn LH, Burstin HR. Predictors of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery surgery. Current trends and impact on hospital resources. Circulation. 1996 Aug 1;94(3):390-7. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.94.3.390.
- Background: PubMed 24763467Chen PS, Chen LS, Fishbein MC, Lin SF, Nattel S. Role of the autonomic nervous system in atrial fibrillation: pathophysiology and therapy. Circ Res. 2014 Apr 25;114(9):1500-15. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.114.303772.
- Background: PubMed 27591222Salavatian S, Beaumont E, Longpre JP, Armour JA, Vinet A, Jacquemet V, Shivkumar K, Ardell JL. Vagal stimulation targets select populations of intrinsic cardiac neurons to control neurally induced atrial fibrillation. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2016 Nov 1;311(5):H1311-H1320. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00443.2016. Epub 2016 Sep 2.
- Background: PubMed 29759717Stavrakis S, Humphrey MB, Scherlag B, Iftikhar O, Parwani P, Abbas M, Filiberti A, Fleming C, Hu Y, Garabelli P, McUnu A, Peyton M, Po SS. Low-Level Vagus Nerve Stimulation Suppresses Post-Operative Atrial Fibrillation and Inflammation: A Randomized Study. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2017 Sep;3(9):929-938. doi: 10.1016/j.jacep.2017.02.019. Epub 2017 May 30.
- Background: PubMed 25744003Stavrakis S, Humphrey MB, Scherlag BJ, Hu Y, Jackman WM, Nakagawa H, Lockwood D, Lazzara R, Po SS. Low-level transcutaneous electrical vagus nerve stimulation suppresses atrial fibrillation. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015 Mar 10;65(9):867-75. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2014.12.026.
- Background: PubMed 32192678Stavrakis S, Stoner JA, Humphrey MB, Morris L, Filiberti A, Reynolds JC, Elkholey K, Javed I, Twidale N, Riha P, Varahan S, Scherlag BJ, Jackman WM, Dasari TW, Po SS. TREAT AF (Transcutaneous Electrical Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Suppress Atrial Fibrillation): A Randomized Clinical Trial. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2020 Mar;6(3):282-291. doi: 10.1016/j.jacep.2019.11.008. Epub 2020 Jan 29.
- Background: PubMed 31597476Andreas M, Arzl P, Mitterbauer A, Ballarini NM, Kainz FM, Kocher A, Laufer G, Wolzt M. Electrical Stimulation of the Greater Auricular Nerve to Reduce Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2019 Oct;12(10):e007711. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.119.007711. Epub 2019 Oct 10.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jonathan Ho, MD principal investigator
University of California, Los Angeles
Marmar Vaseghi, MD principal investigator
University of California, Los Angeles
Stavros Stavrakis, MD, PhD principal investigator
University of Oklahoma
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing active tVNS in people with Atrial Fibrillation, run by University of California, Los Angeles at 2 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 14 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 22 Sep 2026). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of Participants With Atrial Fibrillation (time frame: 6 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04514757, which also lists 8 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Sep 2026.