Sam Brusco, Associate Editor07.07.22
Bioelectric medicine company electroCore announced Mayo Clinic began a study to assess its gammaCore Sapphire non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) in post-COVID syndrome patients.
Post-COVID syndrome occurs when a collection of symptoms remain for longer than 28 days after the initial onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection symptoms, which include headache, brain fog, fatigue, and gastric distress. Post-COVID syndrome is likely to occur in over 10% of the population who has been infected.
The study, entitled “Outcomes of treatment with non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation (nVNS) in post-COVID syndrome: A Pilot Study,” will enroll up to 20 patients recruited from the Post-COVID Care Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Endpoints include clinical questionnaires like the Post-COVID Functional Status Score as well as analysis of blood samples for certain chemokines and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) of the brain to assess metabolism.
“Long-COVID represents a significant ongoing medical challenge that can extend long after the acute phase of COVID,” Dr. Peter Staats, chief medical officer at electroCore told the press. “We believe the decision to use gammaCore Sapphire is consistent with its demonstrated mechanisms of action and its use in acute-COVID under an Emergency Use Authorization granted by the Food and Drug Administration.”
gammaCore nVNS was granted FDA breakthrough status earlier this year to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Post-COVID syndrome occurs when a collection of symptoms remain for longer than 28 days after the initial onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection symptoms, which include headache, brain fog, fatigue, and gastric distress. Post-COVID syndrome is likely to occur in over 10% of the population who has been infected.
The study, entitled “Outcomes of treatment with non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation (nVNS) in post-COVID syndrome: A Pilot Study,” will enroll up to 20 patients recruited from the Post-COVID Care Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Endpoints include clinical questionnaires like the Post-COVID Functional Status Score as well as analysis of blood samples for certain chemokines and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) of the brain to assess metabolism.
“Long-COVID represents a significant ongoing medical challenge that can extend long after the acute phase of COVID,” Dr. Peter Staats, chief medical officer at electroCore told the press. “We believe the decision to use gammaCore Sapphire is consistent with its demonstrated mechanisms of action and its use in acute-COVID under an Emergency Use Authorization granted by the Food and Drug Administration.”
gammaCore nVNS was granted FDA breakthrough status earlier this year to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).