Baseline characteristics of 18 subjects
| taVNS (n=12) | SS (n=6) | |
| Female, n (%) | 12 (100) | 6 (100) |
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 45.7 (11.7) | 54.2 (15.3) |
| Race, n (%) | ||
| Black/African American | 4 (33) | 3 (50) |
| White | 7 (58) | 3 (50) |
| Other | 1 (9) | – |
| Baseline pain on 10 cm VAS, mean (SD) | 6.7 (1.0) | 5.6 (1.5) |
| Baseline fatigue on FACIT-F,* mean (SD) | 23.0 (9.1) | 15.8 (5.4) |
| Tender joints, mean (SD) | 7 (8.7) | 13.3 (8.9) |
| Swollen joints, mean (SD) | 2 (2.2) | 4.8 (4.1) |
| Baseline musculoskeletal BILAG C | 3 (25%) | 1 (16.7 %) |
| Baseline musculoskeletal BILAG B | 9 (75%) | 5 (83.3%) |
| Baseline SLEDAI-2K, mean (SD) | 4.8 (2.1) | 5.8 (2.2) |
*Higher FACIT-F scores correspond to lower fatigue.
BILAG, British Isles Lupus Assessment Group; FACIT F, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue Subscale; SLEDAI-2K, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index-2K; SS, sham stimulation; taVNS, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation; VAS, Visual Analogue Scale.