[en] Background: It is well known that sympathoexcitation, associated with a paucity of parasympathetic activity, is a common feature of many cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have hypothesized that autonomic modulation, with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of the vagus nerve in the cutaneous distribution of its fibers in the external ear, reduce the hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, generating an improvement in variables such as heart rate in patients with cardiovascular diseases; however, there are few references for the application and effects that TENS through the stimulation of the atrial branch in the cymba concha region, can cause in this type of patients and healthy subjects. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical stimulation at the auricular branch in two points, cymba concha and scafa, in young and healthy people before and after intervention on the heart rate in the absence of changes in respiratory rate. Method: A prospective randomized controlled pilot study was carried out to compare the application of TENS at the auricular branch of the vagus nerve in 15 healthy subjects from the Oza campus of the University of A Coruña. The study had two sessions: 1) evaluation: to rule out inclusion and exclusion criteria; 2) experimental: application of the protocol considering allocation and intensity of TENS. Heart rate and respiratory rate were measured before and after stimulation. Outcomes: The statistical analysis of the data shows that the values of the difference in heart rate post intervention in the cymba group was -4.31±3.31 bpm (p = 0.004), and in the scafa group -1 .25±2.51 bpm (p= 0.117). On the other hand, it was observed that the mean difference in post-intervention respiratory rate in the cymba group was -0.375±2.13 rpm (p = 0.317), and in the scafa group it was 1.28±2.21 rpm (p = 0.087). Conclusions: There are statistically significant differences between the values of the heart rate before and after stimulation only in the subjects who received the intervention in the cymbal zone, without showing a significant statistical difference in the respiratory rate of both groups post intervention.

[gl] Introdución: Está establecido que a simpatoexcitación, asociada a unha escasa actividade parasimpática, é unha característica clave de moitas enfermidades cardiovasculares. Por este motivo, desenvolvéronse varios estudos onde se plantexa a hipótese de que a modulación autonómica, mediante a estimulación nerviosa eléctrica transcutánea (TENS) do nervio vago na distribución cutánea das súas fibras no oído externo, reduce a hiperactividade do sistema nervioso simpático, xerando unha mellora de variables como a frecuencia cardíaca nestes pacientes; non obstante, son poucas as referencias sobre a aplicación e os efectos que a TENS mediante a estimulación da rama auricular na concha do címbalo, pode provocar neste tipo de pacientes e persoas sanas. Objetivo: Comparar a efectividade da estimulación eléctrica transcutánea a nivel auricular en dous puntos, concha e scafa, en persoas novas e sans en canto á frecuencia cardíaca pre e post-intervención en ausencia de cambios na frecuencia respiratoria. Método: Realizouse un estudo piloto prospectivo aleatorizado controlado para comparar a aplicación de TENS na rama auricular do nervio vago en 15 suxeitos sans do campus de Oza da Universidade da Coruña. O estudo contou con dúas sesións: 1) avaliación: para descartar criterios de inclusión e exclusión; 2) experimental: aplicación do protocolo tendo en conta a asignación e intensidade da TENS. A FC e a FR midéronse antes e despois da estimulación. Resultados: A análise estatística dos datos mostra que os valores de diferenza de frecuencia cardíaca post-intervención no grupo cimba foron -4,31±3,31 bpm (p = 0,004) e -1,25 no grupo scafa, ±2,51 bpm (p=0,117). Por outra banda, observouse que a diferenza media na frecuencia respiratoria post-intervención no grupo cimba foi de -0,375±2,13 rpm (p = 0,317), e no grupo scafa foi de 1,28±2,21 rpm (p = 0,087). Conclusiones: Existen diferenzas estatisticamente significativas entre os valores da frecuencia cardíaca pre e post estimulación só nos suxeitos que recibiron a intervención no platillo de casca, sen mostrar unha diferenza estatística significativa na frecuencia respiratoria de ambos os grupos despois da intervención.