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 |
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.
|