Konstam Marvin A, Mann Douglas L, Udelson John James E, Ardell Jeffrey L, De Ferrari Gaetano M, Cowie Martin R, Klein Helmut U, Gregory Douglas D, Massaro Joseph M, Libbus Imad, DiCarlo Lorenzo A, Butler Javed, Parker John D, Teerlink John R
The CardioVascular Center at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States.
Center for Cardiovascular Research, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, United States.
Front Physiol. 2022 Apr 21;13:857538. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.857538. eCollection 2022.
The ANTHEM-HF, INOVATE-HF, and NECTAR-HF clinical studies of autonomic regulation therapy (ART) using vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) systems have collectively provided dose-ranging information enabling the development of several working hypotheses on how stimulation frequency can be utilized during VNS for tolerability and improving cardiovascular outcomes in patients living with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Changes in heart rate dynamics, comprising reduced heart rate (HR) and increased HR variability, are a biomarker of autonomic nerve system engagement and cardiac control, and appear to be sensitive to VNS that is delivered using a stimulation frequency that is similar to the natural operating frequency of the vagus nerve. Among prior studies, the ANTHEM-HF Pilot Study has provided the clearest evidence of autonomic engagement with VNS that was delivered using a stimulation frequency that was within the operating range of the vagus nerve. Achieving autonomic engagement was accompanied by improvement from baseline in six-minute walk duration (6MWD), health-related quality of life, and left ventricular EF (LVEF), over and above those achieved by concomitant guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) administered to counteract harmful neurohormonal activation, with relative freedom from deleterious effects. Autonomic engagement and positive directional changes have persisted over time, and an exploratory analysis suggests that improvement in autonomic tone, symptoms, and physical capacity may be independent of baseline NT-proBNP values. Based upon these encouraging observations, prospective, randomized controlled trials examining the effects on symptoms and cardiac function as well as natural history have been warranted. A multi-national, large-scale, randomized, controlled trial is well underway to determine the outcomes associated with ART using autonomic nervous system engagement as a guide for VNS delivery.
使用迷走神经刺激(VNS)系统进行自主神经调节治疗(ART)的ANTHEM-HF、INOVATE-HF和NECTAR-HF临床研究共同提供了剂量范围信息,有助于形成几个关于如何在VNS期间利用刺激频率来提高心力衰竭(HF)和射血分数降低(HFrEF)患者耐受性并改善心血管结局的可行假设。心率动态变化,包括心率(HR)降低和HR变异性增加,是自主神经系统参与和心脏控制的生物标志物,并且似乎对使用与迷走神经自然工作频率相似的刺激频率进行的VNS敏感。在先前的研究中,ANTHEM-HF试点研究提供了最清晰的证据,表明使用在迷走神经工作范围内的刺激频率进行VNS时自主神经参与。实现自主神经参与伴随着六分钟步行距离(6MWD)、健康相关生活质量和左心室射血分数(LVEF)较基线水平的改善,超过了为抵消有害神经激素激活而给予的同期指南指导药物治疗(GDMT)所取得的改善,且相对没有有害影响。自主神经参与和正向变化随时间持续存在,一项探索性分析表明,自主神经张力、症状和身体能力的改善可能与基线NT-proBNP值无关。基于这些令人鼓舞的观察结果,有必要进行前瞻性、随机对照试验,以研究对症状、心脏功能以及自然病程的影响。一项多国、大规模、随机对照试验正在顺利进行,以确定以自主神经系统参与为VNS递送指导的ART相关结局。