Vagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritis - Authors' reply.

Abstract

We appreciate the interest of Peter Staats and Lawrence Poree in our Article 1 Genovese MC Gaylis NB Sikes D et al. Safety and efficacy of neurostimulation with a miniaturised vagus nerve stimulation device in patients with multidrug-refractory rheumatoid arthritis: a two-stage multicentre, randomised pilot study. Lancet Rheumatol. 2020; 2: e527-e538 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (32) Google Scholar detailing the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with a vagus nerve stimulator and their comments regarding non-invasive methods for vagus nerve stimulation as an alternative to permanent surgical implantation of a device, such as the SetPoint Microregulator for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Vagus nerve stimulation in rheumatoid arthritisWe would like to congratulate Mark Genovese and colleagues1 for their clinical report on the safety and efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis. This is an important study that advances the foundation for vagus nerve stimulation in activating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway as a potential treatment for inflammatory disorders. The authors’ discussion of non-invasive stimulation of the vagus nerve, however, provides an inaccurate assessment of the state of the science of this approach, seeming to question the established fact that non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation adequately stimulates the vagus nerve. Full-Text PDF Safety and efficacy of neurostimulation with a miniaturised vagus nerve stimulation device in patients with multidrug-refractory rheumatoid arthritis: a two-stage multicentre, randomised pilot studyVNS with a miniaturised neurostimulator was safe and well tolerated and reduced signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with multidrug-refractory disease. These results support further evaluation in a larger randomised sham-controlled study. Full-Text PDF