Condition · Evidence Hub
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Does vagus nerve stimulation help with rheumatoid arthritis? 17 human studies have investigated VNS for rheumatoid arthritis, including 4 RCTs, 11 controlled trials, and 1 observational study, published between 2014 and 2026, with 9 published since 2022. Studies use implanted (iVNS) and transcutaneous auricular (taVNS) stimulation. Findings vary by study design and population; the studies below are ranked by evidence strength so you can weigh the research directly.
4 RCTs · 11 controlled trials · 1 observational study · 1 narrative review
Evidence by Tier
strongest → weakest
- 4Randomised controlled trials
- 11Controlled clinical trials
- 1Observational & cohort studies
- 1Narrative & scoping reviews
Stimulation Method
- 15iVNS
- 2taVNS
Research Momentum
9 of 17 studies (53%) published since 2022 — an actively growing evidence base.
The studies
17 studies · strongest evidence firstVagus nerve-mediated neuroimmune modulation for rheumatoid arthritis: a pivotal randomized controlled trial
Tesser et al. · Nature medicine · 2026 · n = 242
RCTsiVNSA randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, clinical trial of auricular vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis: comment on the article by Baker et al
Aranow et al. · Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2025
RCTsiVNSClinical safety and feasibility of a novel implantable neuroimmune modulation device for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: initial results from the randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled RESET-RA study
Peterson et al. · Bioelectronic medicine · 2024
RCTsiVNSA Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled, Clinical Trial of Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Active Rheumatoid Arthritis
Baker et al. · Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2023 · n = 113
RCTsiVNSHome-based respiratory-gated transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation for rheumatoid arthritis—a feasibility study
Parikh et al. · Clinical Rheumatology · 2026 · n = 12
controlled trialstaVNSVagus nerve stimulation: a novel approach for refractory rheumatoid arthritis
Shabbir et al. · Clinical rheumatology · 2026
controlled trialsiVNSIs There a Role for Vagal Nerve Stimulation in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Fleischmann · Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2023
controlled trialsiVNSShort-term transcutaneous non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation may reduce disease activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis: results of a pilot study
Drewes et al. · Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology · 2021 · n = 36
controlled trialstaVNSVagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis
Staats et al. · The Lancet. Rheumatology · 2021
controlled trialsiVNSVagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis - Authors' reply
Genovese et al. · The Lancet. Rheumatology · 2021
controlled trialsiVNSSafety and efficacy of neurostimulation with a miniaturised vagus nerve stimulation device in patients with multidrug-refractory rheumatoid arthritis: a two-stage multicentre, randomised pilot study
Genovese et al. · The Lancet Rheumatology · 2020 · n = 14
controlled trialsiVNSRecent advances in devices for vagus nerve stimulation
Mertens et al. · Expert review of medical devices · 2018
controlled trialsiVNSVagus nerve stimulation mediates protection from kidney ischemia-reperfusion injury through α7nAChR+ splenocytes
Inoue et al. · The Journal of clinical investigation · 2016
controlled trialsiVNSRheumatoid arthritis: Vagus nerve stimulation reduces RA severity in patients
Onuora · Nature reviews. Rheumatology · 2016
controlled trialsiVNSVagus nerve stimulation: a new bioelectronics approach to treat rheumatoid arthritis?
Koopman et al. · Best practice & research. Clinical rheumatology · 2014
controlled trialsiVNSNeuroimmune Modulation for Drug-Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis: Long-Term Safety and Efficacy in Patients Enrolled in a Pilot Vagus Nerve Stimulation Study
Gaylis et al. · Rheumatology and Therapy · 2025 · n = 14
observational studiesiVNSNon-invasive vagus nerve stimulation in anti-inflammatory therapy: mechanistic insights and future perspectives
Liu et al. · Frontiers in neuroscience · 2024
narrative reviewsiVNS