Clinical efficacy of escitalopram combined with transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy for patients with major depressive disorder and its effect on plasma IL-6 and IL-10 levels
10.11886/scjsws20240605002
- VernacularTitle:艾司西酞普兰联合经皮颈部迷走神经刺激对重性抑郁障碍患者的疗效及其对血浆IL-6和IL-10水平的影响
- Author:
Jin LI
1
;
Jinbo SUN
2
;
Di WU
3
;
Wenjun WU
3
;
Runzhu SUN
3
;
Shanshan XUE
3
;
Yapeng CUI
2
;
Huaning WANG
3
;
Yihuan CHEN
3
Author Information
1. Xi'an University of Technology， Xi'an 710048， China
2. School of Life Science and Technology， Xidian University， Xi'an 710126， China
3. The First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University， Xi'an 710032， China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation;
Major depressive disorder;
Anxiety symptoms;
Sleep quality;
Inflammatory factors
- From:
Sichuan Mental Health
2025;38(1):7-13
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
BackgroundInvasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy has been approved for the adjunctive treatment of treatment-resistant depression， which may contribute to the anti-inflammatory properties of vagus nerve stimulation （VNS）， whereas the efficacy of non-invasive transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation （tcVNS） in treating major depressive disorder （MDD） and its impact on plasma inflammatory factors remain unclear. ObjectiveTo observe the effect of escitaloprom combined with tcVNS on the status of depression， anxiety and sleep quality as well as the plasma levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and interleukin-10 （IL-10） in MDD patients， in order to provide references for the recovery and treatment of MDD patients. MethodsFrom August 21， 2019 to April 17， 2024， 45 patients who met the diagnostic criteria for MDD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） were recruited from the psychosomatic outpatient clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University. Subjects were divided into study group （n=23） and control group （n=22） using random number table method. All patients were treated with escitalopram. On this basis， study group added a 30-minute tcVNS therapy once a day for 4 weeks. While control group was given corresponding sham stimulation， and the duration of each stimulation lasted 30 seconds. Before and after 4 weeks of treatment， Hamilton Depression Scale-17 item （HAMD-17） was used to assess depressive symptoms， and HAMD-17 anxiety/somatization subfactor and insomnia subfactor were used to assess patients' anxiety/somatization symptoms and sleep quality. Levels of plasma IL-6 and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultsThe generalized estimating equation model yielded a significant time effect for HAMD-17 total score， anxiety/somatization subfactor score and insomnia subfactor score in both groups （Wald χ2=315.226， 495.481， 82.420， P<0.01）. After 4 weeks of treatment， HAMD-17 total score and anxiety/somatization subfactor score of study group were lower than those of control group， with statistically significant differences （Wald χ2=4.967， 32.543， P<0.05 or 0.01）， while no statistically significant difference was found in the insomnia subfactor score between two groups （Wald χ2=0.819， P=0.366）. Significant time effects were reported on plasma IL-6 and IL-10 levels in both groups （Wald χ2=21.792， 5.242， P<0.05 or 0.01）. Compared with baseline data， a reduction in plasma IL-6 levels was detected in both groups （Wald χ2=22.015， 6.803， P<0.01）， and an increase in plasma IL-10 levels was reported in study group （Wald χ2=5.118， P=0.024） after 4 weeks of treatment. ConclusionEscitalopram combined with tcVNS therapy is effective in improving depressive symptoms， anxiety/somatization symptoms and sleep quality in patients with MDD. Additionally， it helps reduce plasma IL-6 levels and increase IL-10 levels. ［Funded by Shaanxi Provincial Key Research and Development Program-General Project （number， 2023-YBSF-185）， www.clinicaltrials.gov number， NCT04037111］
