Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation Enhanced Patience In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Bioelectronic medicine scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research collaborated with counterparts from the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands to carry out a series of pilot clinical studies to badess the effect of a novel bioelectronic stimulation. These studies show that non-invasive stimulation has been shown in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These findings were first published today in Bioelectronic Medicine. An emerging field of science, bioelectronic medicine draws on neuroscience, focuses on molecular targets, and deploys bioengineering to tap into the nervous system to treat disease and injury with the use of pharmaceuticals.

RA is a chronic inflammatory disease, which is characterized by pain, swelling and stiffness of joints. It affects around 1.3 million people in the United States and costs tens of billions of dollars annually to treat. Commonly, signs and symptoms of this condition are treated with synthetic and biological antirheumatic drugs. However, these medications can be effective in all patients.

In this pilot study, Sangeeta S. Chavan, PhD, Feinstein Institute professor, along with Meghan E. Addorisio, BS, tested the efficacy of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation to reduce inflammation and improve disease severity in RA patients. They found that bioelectronic medications were effective in inhibiting the production of cytokines, which mediate inflammation and reduce inflammatory responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

"Our primary objective is to have a noninvasive treatment that will be effective in improving rheumatoid arthritis that continues to occur," Dr. Chavan said. "We are pleased to observe that this novel bioelectronic treatment significantly reduces swelling and inflammation badociated with RA."

"This clinical research suggests that non-invasive stimulation could suppress inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients," said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institute, and co-author on the paper.