Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34801224›Full record

SynthesisBritish journal of anaesthesia2022

The potential for autonomic neuromodulation to reduce perioperative complications and pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Amour B U Patel, Valentin Weber, Alexander V Gourine, Gareth L Ackland

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in British journal of anaesthesia, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 19 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06957912 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Effect of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Quality of Recovery After Major Noncardiac Surgery: A Randomized Trial.

TypeinterventionalSponsorPeking University First HospitalRan2025 to 2026Enrolled320ConditionsVagus Nerve Stimulation, Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation, Noncardiac Surgery, Quality of RecoveryArmsTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, Sham stimulation
NCT07394647 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Preventing Emergence Agitation and Delirium After Pediatric Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Interventional Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityRan2026 to 2026Enrolled120ConditionsEmergence Agitation, Emergence DeliriumArmsActive taVNS Group, Sham stimulation group
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Amour B U PatelTranslational Medicine and Therapeutics, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK.
Valentin WeberTranslational Medicine and Therapeutics, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK.
Alexander V GourineCentre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK.
Gareth L AcklandTranslational Medicine and Therapeutics, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK. Electronic address: g.ackland@qmul.ac.uk.
Queen Mary University of London · GBUniversity College London · GB

Funding

British Heart Foundation RG/19/5/34463
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAutonomic dysfunction promotes organ injury after major surgery through numerous pathological mechanisms. Vagal withdrawal is a key feature of autonomic dysfunction, and it may increase the severity of pain. We systematically evaluated studies that examined whether vagal neuromodulation can reduce perioperative complications and pain.

methodsTwo independent reviewers searched PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Clinical Trials for studies of vagal neuromodulation in humans. Risk of bias was assessed; I

resultsFrom 1258 records, 166 full-text articles were retrieved, of which 31 studies involving patients (n=721) or volunteers (n=679) met the inclusion criteria. Six studies involved interventional cardiology or surgical patients. Indirect stimulation modalities (auricular [n=23] or cervical transcutaneous [n=5]) were most common. Vagal neuromodulation reduced pain (n=10 studies; SMD=2.29 [95% CI, 1.08-3.50]; P=0.0002; I

conclusionsIndirect vagal neuromodulation improves physiological measures associated with limiting organ dysfunction, although studies are of low quality, are susceptible to bias and lack specific focus on perioperative patients.

Indexed as

Autonomic Nervous SystemHeart RateHumansPostoperative ComplicationsPostoperative PainVagus Nerve Stimulationcritical careneuromodulationorgan injuryparasympathetic dysfunctionperioperative caresurgery

Identifiers

PMID34801224
PMCPMC8787777
OpenAlexW3213809466

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.