Vagal Nerve Stimulation-Modulation of the Anti-Inflammatory Response and Clinical Outcome in Psoriatic Arthritis or Ankylosing Spondylitis

Table 1

Patient characteristics.

	Psoriatic arthritis ()	Ankylosing spondylitis ()	value
General characteristics
Age, (years, median (IQR))	45 (34-54)	45 (38-51)	0.77
Female, no. (%)	11 (55%)	6 (35%)	0.33
Disease duration, (years, median (IQR))	7 (3-8.5)	4.5 (2.5-15.5)	0.78
Caucasian ethnicity, no. (%)	20 (100%)	17 (100%)	N/A
Current smoker, no. (%)	1 (5%)	1 (6%)	1.00
Daily caffeine use, no. (%)	18 (90%)	16 (94%)	1.00
Methotrexate, no. (%)	15 (75%)	1 (6%)	<0.0001
Methotrexate dose amongst users, (mg per week)			0.15
Prescription NSAID, no. (%)	13 (65%)	11 (65%)	0.99
NSAID prescription dose (mg per day, median (IQR))	1200 (1000-1800)	1000 (800-1200)	0.11
Height (cm)			0.66
Weight (kilogram)			0.22
Body mass index (BMI)			0.02^†
Vagnus nerve stimulation
Stimulations used (no./patient, median (IQR))	24 (24-25)	24 (22-24)	0.3
Stimulation amplitude (intensity) (intensity, median (IQR))	30 (29-35)	27 (25-30)	0.04^†

Data are presented as unless otherwise indicated. ^†Significant difference, .