Vagus nerve stimulator used for epilepsy also improves symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
FROM PNAS
By day 42, nearly 30% of patients overall achieved remission, which was defined as a DAS28 score of less than 2.6. This constituted improvement in all the score components, including tender joint count, swollen joint count, patient’s assessment of pain, patient’s global assessment, physician’s global assessment, and C-reactive protein.
Finally, the investigators noted decreased levels of most serum cytokines. Most, including serum TNF, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and TNF-a-beta, were below 1 pg/ml.
Adverse events were common (16 patients) but reported as mild-moderate. The included hoarseness (5), hypoesthesia (4), parasthesia (2), dyspnea (2), and bradycardia (1), among others. There were no implantation-related infections. One patient reported postimplantation pain.
SetPoint Medical, of Valencia, Calif., makes the device and conducted the study. Dr. Koopman made no financial disclosures. However, several of the other authors are employees of Set Point, and of GlaxoSmithKline, which holds equity interest in the company.
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