Can 1-Hz rTMS help with heart rhythm and inflammation after a heart attack?

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This interventional study investigates if applying low-frequency rTMS to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves sympathetic activity and inflammatory responses in AMI patients. Participants receive either real rTMS or sham stimulation for seven consecutive days in addition to standard AMI care. Outcomes include heart rate variability measurements, ECG, Holter monitoring, echocardiography, and blood tests to assess safety, tolerability, and potential physiological changes. The trial targets adults aged 30 to 75 who have been stabilized after reperfusion therapy and show signs of sympathetic activation. Safety and feasibility of this approach in the AMI setting are key objectives.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged 30 to 75 years (inclusive), no restriction on sex;
2. Diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in accordance with the Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (2018 ESC/ACC/AHA/WHF), with typical clinical manifestations, electrocardiographic changes and dynamic elevation of cardiac biomarkers;
3. Received standardized reperfusion therapy (thrombolysis or percutaneous coronary intervention, PCI) with hemodynamic stability;
4. Killip class I-II;
5. Evidence of sympathetic activation: resting heart rate ≥90 beats per minute (after excluding confounders such as fever, thyroid dysfunction and severe anemia); reduced heart rate variability (e.g., SDNN \<100 ms) or frequency-domain indices indicating sympathetic predominance (e.g., elevated LF/HF ratio).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Severe cardiac dysfunction: Killip class ≥ III, or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) \<30%;
2. Contraindications to TMS: history of seizure, intracranial surgery or cranial trauma, intracranial/intra-cranial metallic implants, implanted pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator;
3. Active severe infection, ongoing anti-tumor treatment, or severe hepatic/renal insufficiency (judged comprehensively by clinical and laboratory findings);
4. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those with definite pregnancy plan during the study period;
5. Alcohol or substance dependence, psychiatric or cognitive disorders resulting in poor adherence;
6. Participation in another interventional clinical trial within the past 3 months that may interfere with interpretation of study results;
7. Prior TMS treatment for other diseases;
8. Other conditions judged by investigators to make the participant unsuitable for enrollment (e.g., uncontrolled persistent myocardial ischemia, refractory arrhythmia, need for urgent cardiac surgery).

Where it's running

• Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology
  Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Xue Yu, MD
• Email: yuxuemd@aliyun.com
• Phone: 86+13910417876

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.