Transcutaneous electrical vagus nerve stimulation to suppress premature ventricular complexes (TREAT PVC): study protocol for a multi-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The autonomic nervous system can be responsible for the initiation and maintenance of arrhythmias. Low-level tragus stimulation (LLTS), a noninvasive form of autonomic neuromodulation, has been shown to be effective in treating atrial fibrillation. We intended to treat frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) with LLTS. METHODS AND DESIGN: The present study will be a prospective multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial to assess the antiarrhythmic effects of LLTS on frequent PVCs in patients without structured heart disease (SHD). A total of 100 patients with PVC burden > 10% will be randomly assigned to the active or sham LLTS in 1:1 fashion and receive the proposed intervention for 6 months. The primary outcome is PVC burden at 6 months as assessed by 10 days of continuous ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. Secondary outcomes include heart rate variability (HRV), quality of life, skin sympathetic nerve activity, and inflammatory markers. Adverse events will also be recorded. DISCUSSION: The present trial will be the first to evaluate the effect of LLTS on frequent PVCs on patients without SHD. LLTS may serve as a low-cost, minimal-risk, and non-invasive alternative to conventional antiarrhythmic therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov NCT04909528. Registered on 17 June 2021. World health organization trial registration data set was shown in Supplementary Table 1. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13063-023-07713-2.