Over the past decade, a number of pilot studies have provided proof of concept for the use of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to treat rheumatic conditions. The studies represent an expansion of this treatment approach into rheumatology, building on years of scientific inquiry into the mechanisms of VNS on disease states that led to preclinical…
When rheumatologists think about rheumatoid arthritis (RA), they are apt to picture the synovium, contemplate such antibodies as rheumatoid factor and those to citrullinated proteins, and consider how this interplay of factors manifests in disease. What is not as commonly discussed is the role the autonomic nervous system plays in the pathogenesis and symptomatology of…
Evolving model has implications for novel therapies
SAN FRANCISCO—Inflammation can be either acute or chronic, and it’s the inflammatory responses that don’t shut down normally, or resolve, that cause tissue damage in rheumatic disease. “Resolution bridges the gap between acute inflammation and adaptive immunity,” said Derek W. Gilroy, PhD, head of the Centre for Clinical Pharmacology and Professor of Immunology at University…