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BMC Infectious Diseases
Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

Doxycycline-mediated effects on persistent symptoms and systemic cytokine responses post-neuroborreliosis: a randomized, prospective, cross-over study

Authors: Johanna Sjöwall, Anna Ledel, Jan Ernerudh, Christina Ekerfelt, Pia Forsberg

Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Background

Persistent symptoms after treatment of neuroborreliosis (NB) are well-documented, although the causative mechanisms are mainly unknown. The effect of repeated antibiotic treatment has not been studied in detail. The aim of this study was to determine whether: (1) persistent symptoms improve with doxycycline treatment; (2) doxycycline has an influence on systemic cytokine responses, and; (3) improvement of symptoms could be due to doxycycline-mediated immunomodulation.

Methods/Design

15 NB patients with persistent symptoms ≥6 months post-treatment were double-blindly randomized to receive 200 mg of doxycycline or a placebo for three weeks. After a six-week wash-out period, a cross-over with a three-week course of a placebo or doxycycline was conducted. The primary outcome measures were improvement of persistent symptoms assessed by neurological examinations, a symptom severity score and estimation of the quality of life. The secondary outcome measure was changes in systemic cytokine responses.

Results

All 15 patients finished the study. No doxycycline-mediated improvement of post-treatment symptoms or quality of life was observed. Nor could any doxycycline-mediated changes in systemic cytokine responses be detected. The study was completed without any serious adverse events.

Discussion

No doxycycline-mediated improvement of post-treatment symptoms or quality of life was observed. Nor could any doxycycline-mediated changes in systemic cytokine responses be detected. The study was completed without any serious adverse events. To conclude, in this pilot study, doxycycline-treatment did not lead to any improvement of either the persistent symptoms or quality of life in post-NB patients. Accordingly, doxycycline does not seem to be the optimal treatment of diverse persistent symptoms post-NB. However, the results need to be confirmed in larger studies.

Trial registration

NCT01205464 (clinicaltrials.gov)
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Doxycycline-mediated effects on persistent symptoms and systemic cytokine responses post-neuroborreliosis: a randomized, prospective, cross-over study
Authors
Johanna Sjöwall
Anna Ledel
Jan Ernerudh
Christina Ekerfelt
Pia Forsberg
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Infectious Diseases / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2334
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2334-12-186

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