Inter-ictal assay of peripheral circulating inflammatory mediators in migraine patients under adjunctive cervical non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS): A proof-of-concept study.

OBJECTIVE: To assay peripheral inter-ictal cytokine serum levels and possible relations with non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) responsiveness in migraineurs. METHODS: This double-blinded, sham-controlled study enrolled 48 subjects and measured headache severity, frequency [headache days/month, number of total and mild/moderate/severe classified attacks/month], functional state [sleep, mood, body weight, migraine-associated disability] and serum levels of inflammatory markers [inter-ictal] using enzyme-linked immunoassays at baseline and after 2 months of adjunctive nVNS compared to sham stimulation and suitably matched controls. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed at baseline and after 2 months for headache severity, total attacks/month, headache days/month and functional outcome [sleep, mood, disability] between verum and sham nVNS. However, the number of severe attacks/month significantly decreased in the verum nVNS group and circulating pro-inflammatory IL-1ß was elevated significantly in the sham group compared to nVNS. Levels of anti-inflammatory IL-10 were significantly higher at baseline in both groups compared to healthy controls, but not at 2 months follow-up [p < 0.05]. Concentrations of high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1), IL-6, tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin remained unchanged [p > 0.05]. No severe device-/stimulation-related adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: 2 months of adjunctive cervical nVNS significantly declined the number of severe attacks/month. Pro-inflammatory IL-1ß plasma levels [inter-ictal] were higher in sham-treated migraine patients compared to verum nVNS. However, pro- [IL-6, HMGB-1, TNF-α, leptin] and anti-inflammatory [IL-10, adiponectin, ghrelin] mediators did not differ statistically. Profiling of neuroinflammatory circuits in migraine to predict nVNS responsiveness remains an experimental approach, which may be biased by pre-analytic variables warranting large-scale biobank-based systematic investigations [omics].

Selective L4 Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation Evokes Pain Relief and Changes of Inflammatory Markers: Part I Profiling of Saliva and Serum Molecular Patterns.

OBJECTIVES: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and associated comorbidities have been linked to a pro-inflammatory state driven by different mediators. Targeted dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGSTIM ) suppressed pain levels and improved functional capacity in intractable CRPS. However, clinical trials assessing the impact of DRG stimulation on the neuroimmune axis are lacking. METHODS: This study enrolled 24 subjects (12 refractory CRPS patients plus suitably matched healthy controls) and performed immunoassays of inflammatory mediators in saliva and serum along with score-based assessments of pain, mood, and sleep quality at baseline and after three months of selective L4-DRGSTIM . RESULTS: After three-month L4-DRGSTIM CRPS associated pain significantly decreased. In addition, disturbed sleep and mood improved post-DRGSTIM , although statistically not significant. Significantly increased serum values of pro-inflammatory markers were detected pre- and post L4-DRGSTIM for high-mobility group box 1, tumor-necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL) 6, and leptin. IL-1ß was significantly elevated pre-L4 DRGSTIM , but not posttreatment. Elevated anti-inflammatory IL-10 significantly decreased after three months in serum, while saliva oxytocin concentrations increased in CRPS subjects after L4-DRGSTIM (p = 0.65). No severe implantation and stimulation associated adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Selective L4-DRGSTIM improved neuropathic pain and functional impairment in CRPS as previously reported. CRPS patients displayed a pro-inflammatory molecular pattern in serum. Serum anti-inflammatory IL-10 significantly declined, while saliva oxytocin nonsignificantly increased after L4-DRGSTIM . An evidence-based relational interpretation of our study is limited due to the uncontrolled study design. However, molecular profiling of biofluids (saliva, serum) represents a novel and experimental field in applied neuromodulation, which warrant further investigations to unveil mechanisms of neuroimmune modulation.