VAGAL NERVE STIMULATION DOES NOT ATTENUATE BLOOD PRESSURE REACTIVITY IN WOMEN WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

PURPOSE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by progressive joint damage. Individuals with RA are at a greater risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Blood pressure reactivity (BPR) assessment may predict this increased risk. Alternative treatments such as transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS) may reduce BPR in RA patients. However, the influence of tVNS on BPR has yet to be reported. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of tVNS on BPR in women with RA. METHODS: Three women diagnosed with RA (51 ± 5 years) volunteered to participate. BPR was assessed using the cold pressor test (CPT) at baseline and post tVNS. During the CPT, the participant’s hand was submerged into ice water (4-6 ° C) while both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were manually measured at 30 and 60 seconds. The highest values were recorded. Participants then performed daily tVNS treatment for 10 days. The tVNS stimulation was 20 minutes, using an earbud (Xen) paired to a mobile phone application (Neuvana). Significant differences between SBP and DBP during CPT at baseline and post tVNS were determined using Wilcoxin Signed Rank Tests. Significance was accepted a priori p < 0.05. RESULTS: There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between baseline and post tVNS for SBP (baseline = 136 ± 21 mmHg, post tVNS = 135 ± 14 mmHg, p = 0.66) or DBP (baseline = 91 ± 29 mmHg, post tVNS = 93 ± 23 mmHg, p = 0.59) during the CPT. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary findings suggest that tVNS does not significantly attenuate BPR in women with RA as demonstrated by the CPT. However, a larger sample size is necessary to support these findings.