Method and apparatus for treatment of diabetic retinopathy (dr)

Abstract

A method for anti-inflammatory treatment of diabetic retinopathy can include systemic administration of an A2aAR agonist and providing local electric field stimulation to the retina. The electric field stimulation causes translocation of A2aRs from cytosol to the cell membranes and makes them active and available for binding with adenosine and adenosine agonists. Increased numbers of active A2aRs on cellular membranes leads to several-fold increase in the anti-inflammatory signal transduced into the cells. Amplified adenosine-A2aR signaling pathway causes significant inhibition of production of proinflammatory cytokines and other cytotoxic activity of microglia thus protecting the retina from destruction by the immune system and preserving eyesight. A treatment apparatus can include a multicoil applicator with coils adapted for positioning near eyes for stimulating retina, a pulse generator functionally coupled to the applicator and a power supply.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating DR in a patient, comprising:
 providing PEMF stimulation to a patient's eye cells to cause electrically sensitive adenosine A2aR receptors in the patient's eye cells to translocate to a cellular membrane surface, where the electrically sensitive adenosine A2aR receptors bind with free adenosine or adenosine-like drugs from an intercellular space to activate an adenosine-A2aR anti-inflammatory signaling pathway in the patient's eyes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering the PEMF stimulation to the patient's eyes via a first coil disposed in front of a first eye of the patient and a second coil disposed in front of a second eye of the patient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising delivering the PEMF stimulation to the patient's eyes via a third coil disposed to a side of the first eye of the patient and a fourth coil disposed to a side of the second eye of the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising alternating pulses between the first and third coils and alternating pulses between the second and fourth coils. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising delivering PEMF stimulation to the patient's eyes via a first coil disposed to a side of a first eye of the patient and a second coil disposed to a side of a second eye of the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing a treatment applicator about a head of the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the treatment applicator is an eyeglass frame. 
     
     
         8 . A PEMF stimulation apparatus for treatment of DR, the apparatus comprising:
 a chair;   a head support provided to the chair;   a first adjustable mount provided to the head support;   a second adjustable mount provided to the head support;   a first PEMF applicator disposed at a distal end of the first adjustable mount; and   a second PEMF applicator disposed at a distal end of the second adjustable mount.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first PEMF applicator comprises a plurality of coils and the second PEMF applicator comprises a plurality of coils, wherein each of the coils in each applicator are arranged to provide electrical stimulation to a patient's eyes in at least three orthogonal directions when the patient is seated in the chair. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a controller configured to deliver an alternating polarity PEMF stimulation to a patient's eyes via a first coil provided to the first PEMF applicator and a second coil provided to the second PEMF applicator. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to provide PEMF stimulation to a patient's eye cells to cause electrically sensitive adenosine A2aR receptors in the patient's eye cells to translocate to a cellular membrane surface, where the electrically sensitive adenosine A2aR receptors bind with free adenosine or adenosine-like drugs from an intercellular space to activate an adenosine-A2aR anti-inflammatory signaling pathway in the patient's eyes.