US 11,890,471 B2
Vagus nerve stimulation pre-screening test
Jacob A. Levine, West Hempstead, NY (US); and Ralph J. Zitnik, Santa Barbara, CA (US)
Assigned to SetPoint Medical Corporation, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed by SetPoint Medical Corporation, Valencia, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 20, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/506,597.
Application 17/506,597 is a continuation of application No. 16/103,873, filed on Aug. 14, 2018, granted, now 11,173,307.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/545,284, filed on Aug. 14, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0040483 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61N 1/36 (2006.01); G01N 33/68 (2006.01); A61N 1/372 (2006.01); A61N 7/00 (2006.01); A61N 2/00 (2006.01); A61N 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/36053 (2013.01) [G01N 33/6863 (2013.01); G01N 33/6869 (2013.01); A61N 1/0456 (2013.01); A61N 1/3606 (2013.01); A61N 1/372 (2013.01); A61N 2/006 (2013.01); A61N 2007/0026 (2013.01); G01N 2333/525 (2013.01); G01N 2333/535 (2013.01); G01N 2333/54 (2013.01); G01N 2333/545 (2013.01); G01N 2333/5412 (2013.01); G01N 2333/5434 (2013.01); G01N 2333/57 (2013.01); G01N 2800/52 (2013.01); G01N 2800/709 (2013.01); G01N 2800/7095 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An in vitro method for screening a patient for responsiveness to vagus nerve stimulation to treat an inflammatory disorder, the method comprising:
obtaining a sample of blood taken from the patient prior to stimulation of the patient's vagus nerve;
challenging the sample of blood with a first concentration of toxin;
obtaining a second sample of blood taken from the patient prior to stimulation of the patient's vagus nerve;
challenging a second sample of blood with a second concentration of toxin that is at least 2 times the first concentration;
determining an amount of inflammatory cytokine released in response to the second concentration of toxin compared to the inflammatory cytokine released in response to the first concentration of toxin; and
outputting an indication that the patient is a responder or a non-responder for vagus nerve stimulation based on the amount of inflammatory cytokine released.