Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Attenuation of Inflammatory Response and Blood Pressure in Type B Aortic Dissection

Starting soon · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Type B Aortic Dissection

In brief

Patients with uncomplicated Type B aortic dissections (TBAD) are traditionally treated in the ICU for impulse control, with BP and HR goals. Local and systemic inflammation often is a resulting consequence of acute aortic dissection. Vagus nerve stimulation can impact hemodynamics and inflammation. This study will utilize a novel transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulator (taVNS) as part of the treatment for patients with TBAD. It's hypothesized that vagus nerve stimulation may provide benefit to the acute TBAD population admitted to ICU by two distinct mechanisms: 1. Through upregulation of parasympathetic pathways which may augment chemical heart rate and blood pressure control through bioelectric stimulation, and 2. downregulation of inflammatory pathways through a neuro-immunological axis.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07534722

Run by

Washington University School of Medicine

People needed

60

Starts

2026-04-17

Expected to finish

2027-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-04-16

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adults age 18 years and older.
• Presenting with acute, uncomplicated TBAD
• Ability to enroll within 24 hours of presentation

You may not qualify if…

• Prior Aortic Dissections
• Genetic aortpathies
• Iatrogenic aortic dissection related to prior procedure(s)

Where it is running

• Washington University School of Medicine — St Louis, Missouri, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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