Study: Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves ETR Symptoms
Key Takeaways
A 3-week course of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) improved facial erythema in patients with
The treatment also reduced anxiety, depression, and other systemic symptoms, with benefits sustained at 24 weeks.
Results from a recent study suggest transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) could be a viable therapeutic option for patients with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR).
Researchers for the randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial included 72 adults with ETR and a Clinician’s Erythema Assessment (CEA) score of ≥2 (median age: 29.5 years; 93% female). Participants were randomized to receive either daily taVNS (30 Hz, 200 μs pulse width for 30 minutes) or sham stimulation for 3 weeks, with a 24-week follow-up.
According to the results, taVNS-treated patients showed greater improvement in facial erythema (mean CEA scores of 1.56 (SD 0.84) vs. 2.47 (SD 0.81) for sham group (mean difference, −0.92; 95% CI, −1.3 to −0.53; P < 0.001). The data showed taVNS also was associated with sustained alleviation anxiety symptoms (mean difference, −5.42; P < 0.001) and depression symptoms (mean difference, −6.22; P < 0.001), as well as improvements in sleep, fatigue, and migraine severity. Adverse events were omparable between groups (5.6% taVNS vs. 8.3% sham).
“This randomized clinical trial demonstrated that treating ETR with taVNS concurrently ameliorated cutaneous symptoms and systemic comorbidities,” the authors wrote. “The results suggest that taVNS is a novel therapeutic option for ETR management.”
Li J, et al. Source: JAMA Dermatology. 2025. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.3796