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Curatola A, Graglia B, Granata G, Conti G, Capossela L, Manni L, Ferretti S, Di Giuda D, Romeo DM, Calcagni ML, Soligo M, Castelli E, Piastra M, Mantelli F, Marca GD, Staccioli S, Romeo T, Pani M, Cocciolillo F, Mancino A, Gatto A, Chiaretti A. 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. Biol Direct 2023; 18:24. [PMID: 37165387 PMCID: PMC10170696 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-023-00379-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Out-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. RESULTS Three 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. CONCLUSIONS These 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonietta Curatola
- Dipartimento di Pediatria, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetta Graglia
- Dipartimento di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Granata
- Istituto di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Conti
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Emergenza, Anestesiologiche e Rianimazione, Terapia Intensiva Pediatrica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Lavinia Capossela
- Dipartimento di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Manni
- Istituto di Farmacologia Traslazionale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Ferretti
- Dipartimento di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Di Giuda
- UOC di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Marco Romeo
- Unità di Neurologia Pediatrica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Lucia Calcagni
- UOC di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS - Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Marzia Soligo
- Istituto di Farmacologia Traslazionale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Castelli
- Dipartimento di Neuroriabilitazione Intensiva, Ospedale Pediatrico "Bambino Gesù", Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Piastra
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Emergenza, Anestesiologiche e Rianimazione, Terapia Intensiva Pediatrica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio Mantelli
- Dompé Farmaceutici Spa, Via Campo di Pile, snc, L'Aquila, 67100, Italy
| | - Giacomo Della Marca
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Invecchiamento, Neurologiche, Ortopediche e della Testa-Collo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Susanna Staccioli
- Dipartimento di Neuroriabilitazione Intensiva, Ospedale Pediatrico "Bambino Gesù", Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziana Romeo
- Dompé Farmaceutici Spa, Via Campo di Pile, snc, L'Aquila, 67100, Italy
| | - Marcello Pani
- Direttore Farmacia Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Cocciolillo
- UOC di Medicina Nucleare, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Aldo Mancino
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Emergenza, Anestesiologiche e Rianimazione, Terapia Intensiva Pediatrica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Gatto
- Dipartimento di Pediatria, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Chiaretti
- Dipartimento di Pediatria, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Pediatria, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
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