Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy (EAT) Reduces the mRNA Expression of Major Proinflammatory Cytokine IL-6 in Chronic Epipharyngitis.
Nishi, Kensuke, Yoshimoto, Shohei, Nishi, Soichiro et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2022 · DOI
Quick Summary
This study looked at a Japanese treatment called Epipharyngeal Abrasive Therapy (EAT) that targets chronic inflammation in the epipharynx (the area behind your nasal cavity). The researchers found that patients who received EAT had significantly lower levels of IL-6, a key inflammatory molecule linked to ME/CFS symptoms, compared to those who didn't receive the treatment. This suggests that reducing inflammation in this specific area might help improve systemic symptoms in ME/CFS and similar conditions.
Why It Matters
This study provides preliminary mechanistic evidence that local epipharyngeal inflammation may contribute to systemic inflammatory burden in ME/CFS, and identifies a potential therapeutic target. Understanding whether treating localized inflammation in the epipharynx can reduce systemic cytokine levels could open new avenues for treating ME/CFS, particularly given the emerging hypothesis linking upper respiratory tract inflammation to post-viral systemic disease.
Observed Findings
IL-6 mRNA expression was significantly lower in EAT-treated patients compared to untreated controls (p=0.0015).
EAT also suppressed expression of TNFα, another key proinflammatory cytokine.
Histological analysis showed anti-inflammatory effects in the treated group.
Inferred Conclusions
EAT reduces expression of major proinflammatory cytokines in epipharyngeal tissue.
Local suppression of IL-6 and TNFα via EAT may contribute to improvement of systemic inflammatory diseases.
Chronic epipharyngitis may be involved in the systemic inflammation characteristic of ME/CFS through cytokine signaling.
Remaining Questions
Does reduction in epipharyngeal IL-6 correlate with clinical symptom improvement in ME/CFS patients, and if so, how much improvement occurs?
What is the mechanism by which localized epipharyngeal inflammation drives or contributes to systemic cytokine elevation in ME/CFS?
How does EAT compare to other anti-inflammatory treatments, and what is the optimal treatment duration and frequency?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This study does not prove that epipharyngeal inflammation is the primary cause of ME/CFS, nor does it establish that EAT is an effective clinical treatment for ME/CFS itself—it only shows reduced IL-6 expression in treated tissue. The study lacks clinical outcome measures, so it cannot demonstrate whether IL-6 reduction correlates with symptom improvement in ME/CFS patients. Correlation between local and systemic inflammation is inferred but not directly measured.