ESTIVAL Trial: Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Erosive Hand Osteoarthritis Falls Short of Primary Endpoint but Shows Signals in Inflammatory Subgroups
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ESTIVAL Trial: Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Erosive Hand Osteoarthritis Falls Short of Primary Endpoint but Shows Signals in Inflammatory Subgroups

The ESTIVAL trial investigated transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for erosive hand osteoarthritis. While the primary pain reduction endpoint was not met, the therapy proved safe and showed potential efficacy in patients with significant synovial inflammation, suggesting a need for phenotype-specific research.