How do discussions with the doctor impact inflammatory symptoms and their treatment?

Inflammation plays a role in many illnesses, including infections but also neuropsychiatric illnesses or chronic pain. Messenger substances released by the inflammation not only activate the body’s defences but also have an impact on the brain. This can result in immune-mediated symptoms like depressive mood, heightened pain perception, fatigue, or unspecific physical complaints, which can be especially burdensome in people who suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases.

Improving expectations to make treatments more effective

In Project A11, we are researching concrete ways to improve outcomes for patients in the area of tension between inflammation, treatments that target the immune system, and the side effects of such treatments. During the first funding period, we demonstrated that patients’ expectations play a role in how well anti-inflammatory drugs alleviate the symptoms of inflammation. Now, we want to develop strategies to improve patients’ expectations in everyday clinical practice, and ultimately make treatments more effective: Our goal is for patients to enter into their treatment with a more positive attitude and less fear of side effects, helping them to persevere with their treatment and ultimately make it more successful.

Can appropriate communication improve symptoms and side effects?

In the second funding period, we are therefore focusing on the impact of doctor-patient discussions in this context. Do sufferers perceive their symptoms and the effectiveness of treatment differently depending on how the treatment provider talks to them? Is it possible, through appropriate communication, to improve inflammatory symptoms and unwanted side effects within immunotherapy – maybe even objectively? Project A11 addresses these questions with the help of experiments with healthy volunteers.

A translational approach to shingles vaccination

We are also investigating the impact of treatment communication in everyday clinical practice in patients receiving the herpes zoster vaccine. These viruses cause chickenpox usually in childhood, and can be reactivated later on, especially in older and immunocompromised people. This causes an inflammation of the nerves under the skin, which leads to a painful rash known as shingles. The herpes zoster vaccine (commonly known as the shingles vaccine) can protect against this, but it is relatively often associated with vaccine-related symptoms. In Project A11, we are investigating whether these side effects can be reduced through good communication by doctors.