TABLE 1.

Mean HRV test data of 171 patients with TRMS.

	R-R-interval	HRV-age	Flexibility %	Dynamic % (RMSSD)	Tone %
	pre/post taVNS	pre/post taVNS/chronol	pre/post taVNS	pre/post taVNS	pre/post taVNS
Mean	815/868	65/56/49	32/44	32/49	38/49
SD	141/140	22/23/16	28/30	30/34	30/30
p-Value	<0,0001	<0,0001	<0,0001	<0,0001	<0,0001
Cohen’s d	0,377	0,400	0,414	0,530	0,367
taVNS induced change	+52 (6.4%)	−9 (13.7%)	+11 (34.5%)	+18 (53.2%)	+12 (30.5%)
Increased	139 (81.3%)	12 (7.0%)	107 (62.6%)	118 (69.0%)	116 (67.8%)
Decreased	32 (18.7%)	135 (79.0%)	36 (21.1%)	16 (9.4%)	22 (12.9%)
Unhanged	–	24 (14.0%)	28 (16.4%)	37 (21.6%)	33 (19.3)

The taVNS significantly increased all HRV parameters: the mean R-R interval in 81%, Flexibility in 63%, Dynamics (RMSSD) in 69%, Tone in 68% of patients, and decreased the HRV age by 9 years. The mean pre-taVNS HRV age was 16 years higher than the chronological age. The taVNS induced change represents the mean difference between pre- and post-taVNS values of all patients. The mean percentage change is also shown. Increases of RR-interval, flexibility, RMSSD and tone and decrease of HRV-age indicate increased parasympathetic or decreased sympathetic tone. Pre = baseline data; post = post-taVNS stimulation data. Wilcoxon’s matched pairs signed rank test was used to calculate p-values. The Bonferroni adjustment method for multiple testing produced a rejection p-value of 0.01. All p-values remained statistically significant. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) ranged from small to medium, the largest was observed in Dynamic % (RMSSD).