[May 01, 2014] |
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ElectroCore: Two separate studies on the treatment of migraine headache with non invasive vagus nerve stimulation are being presented at the American Association of Neurology (AAN) meeting in Philadelphia
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. --(Business Wire)--
At the AAN meeting in Philadelphia, two separate studies showed that
electroCore's non invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) therapy was
effective in helping patients with different types of migraine. The
first poster presentation, on April 28th, found that two
hours after treatment with electroCore's nVNS therapy patients who had
both chronic migraine and medication overuse headache were pain free in
33% of attacks while significant pain relief (mild or no pain) was noted
in 50% of attacks. In the second poster presented on May1st it was found
that 45 % of patients, with migraine without aura, were pain free within
30 minutes of just one dose of nVNS therapy.
The poster on patients with chronic migraine and medicine overuse
headache was presented by Professor Innocenzo Rainero [P1.262] from the
Department of Neuroscience at the University of Torino, Italy. This
pilot trial included 15 chronic migraine/medication overuse headache
patients. All patients underwent a five-day in-patient detoification
period and were then followed for six months. During this period 362
migraine attacks were treated by the patients with nVNS therapy.
Of particular importance in this patient population, rescue medication
was required in <19% of the attacks (67/362). Side effects were mild and
transient.
Professor Rainero and colleagues concluded that nVNS with gammaCore
could be an effective and safe treatment in patients who suffer with
both chronic migraine and medication overuse headache after
detoxification.
The poster on patients with migraine without aura [P7.196] was presented
by Professor Licia Grazzi and involved 30 patients diagnosed with
migraine without aura who were being treated at the Headache Centre at
the Neurological Institute C. Besta, Milan, Italy.
The patients ranged in age between 18-65 and were experiencing between
5-9 migraine attacks per month. After being trained on electroCore's
gammaCore device, patients were asked to treat 3-5 moderate to severe
migraine attacks with a single 90-second dose and record the level of
pain from 30 minutes to 24 hours.
Of the 96 migraine attacks treated, 54 (56%) experienced meaningful
relief two hours after treatment, including 43 (44.8%) who were pain
free within 30 minutes. In an additional 11 (11.5%) attacks, the
patients reported moderate pain relief. In 42 (43.7%) attacks the nVNS
therapy did not offer any relief after two hours and patients returned
to rescue medications. Treatment with gammaCore was well tolerated and
no patients reported an adverse event.
ElectroCore's proprietary, non-invasive electrical stimulation therapy
works by activating specific fibers in the vagus nerve. This activation
is believed to cause the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters within
the central nervous system, and reduces the over expression of the
excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, which has been implicated in a
number of different disorders.
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