Vagus nerve-mediated neuroimmune modulation for rheumatoid arthritis: a pivotal randomized controlled trial
Tesser JRP, Crowley AR, Box EJ, June JP, Wickersham PB, Valenzuela GJ, Gaylis NB, Lam GKW, Pacheco LA, Ridley DJ, et al.
Nature Medicine · 2026
Key finding
ACR20 rates were higher with active simulation than with sham at 3 months (35.2% versus 24.2%, P = 0.0209), which further improved in open-label to 50.0% at 6 months and 52.8% at 12 months (all-completers).
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- Condition
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Stimulation
- iVNS
- Evidence tier
- Randomised Controlled Trial
- Participants
- 242
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Cite this study
Tesser, J. R. P., Crowley, A. R., Box, E. J., June, J. P., Wickersham, P. B., Valenzuela, G. J., Gaylis, N. B., Lam, G. K. W., Pacheco, L. A., Ridley, D. J., Pinto-Patarroyo, G. P., Novack, S. N., Churchill, M. A., Kohler, M., Lee, E. C., Pando, J. A., Parris, G. R., Peterson, J. R., Shah, T., … Chernoff, D. (2026). Vagus nerve-mediated neuroimmune modulation for rheumatoid arthritis: a pivotal randomized controlled trial. Nature Medicine, 32(1), 369-378. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-04114-7
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