TY - JOUR
T1 - Combined treatment of nerve growth factor and transcranical direct current stimulations to improve outcome in children with vegetative state after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
AU - Curatola, Antonietta
AU - Graglia, Benedetta
AU - Granata, Giuseppe
AU - Conti, Giorgio
AU - Capossela, Lavinia
AU - Manni, Luigi
AU - Ferretti, Serena
AU - Di Giuda, Daniela
AU - Romeo, Domenico Marco
AU - Calcagni, Maria Lucia
AU - Soligo, Marzia
AU - Castelli, Enrico
AU - Piastra, Marco
AU - Mantelli, Flavio
AU - Della Marca, Giacomo
AU - Staccioli, Susanna
AU - Romeo, Tiziana
AU - Pani, Marcello
AU - Cocciolillo, Fabrizio
AU - Mancino, Aldo
AU - Gatto, Antonio
AU - Chiaretti, Antonio
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - BackgroundOut-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is one of the most dramatic events in pediatric age and, despite advanced neurointensive care, the survival rate remains low. Currently, no effective treatments can restore neuronal loss or produce significant improvement in these patients. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin potentially able to counteract many of the deleterious effects triggered by OHCA. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been reported to be neuroprotective in many neurological diseases, such as motor deficit and cognitive impairment. Children with the diagnosis of chronic vegetative state after OHCA were enrolled. These patients underwent a combined treatment of intranasal administration of human recombinant NGF (hr-NGF), at a total dose of 50 gamma/kg, and tDCS, in which current intensity was increased from zero to 2 mA from the first 5 s of stimulation and maintained constant for 20 min. The treatment schedule was performed twice, at one month distance each. Neuroradiogical evaluation with Positron Emission Tomography scan (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Electroencephalography (EEG) and Power Spectral Density of the brain (PSD) was determined before the treatment and one month after the end. Neurological assessment was deepened by using modified Ashworth Scale, Gross Motor Function Measure, and Disability Rating Scale.ResultsThree children with a chronic vegetative state secondary to OHCA were treated. The combined treatment with hr-NGF and tDCS improved functional (PET and SPECT) and electrophysiological (EEG and PSD) assessment. Also clinical conditions improved, mainly for the reduction of spasticity and with the acquisition of voluntary finger movements, improved facial mimicry and reaction to painful stimuli. No side effects were reported.ConclusionsThese promising preliminary results and the ease of administration of this treatment make it worthwhile to be investigated further, mainly in the early stages from OHCA and in patients with better baseline neurological conditions, in order to explore more thoroughly the benefits of this new approach on neuronal function recovery after OHCA.
AB - BackgroundOut-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is one of the most dramatic events in pediatric age and, despite advanced neurointensive care, the survival rate remains low. Currently, no effective treatments can restore neuronal loss or produce significant improvement in these patients. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a neurotrophin potentially able to counteract many of the deleterious effects triggered by OHCA. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been reported to be neuroprotective in many neurological diseases, such as motor deficit and cognitive impairment. Children with the diagnosis of chronic vegetative state after OHCA were enrolled. These patients underwent a combined treatment of intranasal administration of human recombinant NGF (hr-NGF), at a total dose of 50 gamma/kg, and tDCS, in which current intensity was increased from zero to 2 mA from the first 5 s of stimulation and maintained constant for 20 min. The treatment schedule was performed twice, at one month distance each. Neuroradiogical evaluation with Positron Emission Tomography scan (PET), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), Electroencephalography (EEG) and Power Spectral Density of the brain (PSD) was determined before the treatment and one month after the end. Neurological assessment was deepened by using modified Ashworth Scale, Gross Motor Function Measure, and Disability Rating Scale.ResultsThree children with a chronic vegetative state secondary to OHCA were treated. The combined treatment with hr-NGF and tDCS improved functional (PET and SPECT) and electrophysiological (EEG and PSD) assessment. Also clinical conditions improved, mainly for the reduction of spasticity and with the acquisition of voluntary finger movements, improved facial mimicry and reaction to painful stimuli. No side effects were reported.ConclusionsThese promising preliminary results and the ease of administration of this treatment make it worthwhile to be investigated further, mainly in the early stages from OHCA and in patients with better baseline neurological conditions, in order to explore more thoroughly the benefits of this new approach on neuronal function recovery after OHCA.
KW - Human-recombinant nerve growth factor
KW - Intranasal Administration
KW - Transcranial Direct current stimulations
KW - Out-Off Hospital Cardiac arrest
KW - Neuroprotection
KW - Human-recombinant nerve growth factor
KW - Intranasal Administration
KW - Transcranial Direct current stimulations
KW - Out-Off Hospital Cardiac arrest
KW - Neuroprotection
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/239854
U2 - 10.1186/s13062-023-00379-5
DO - 10.1186/s13062-023-00379-5
M3 - Article
SN - 1745-6150
VL - 18
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Biology Direct
JF - Biology Direct
ER -
