Brian Callaghan, MD, MS

Dr. Callaghan’s research is focused on the metabolic factors that are associated with neuropathy. He has completed four observational studies that have demonstrated that hyperglycemia, obesity, and the number of metabolic syndrome components (increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels), but not hypertension or dyslipidemia, are associated with neuropathy. This has led to a proposed interventional study of surgical weight loss and/or high-intensity interval training to determine if either intervention can prevent nerve injury. If successful, either intervention would be the first disease-modifying therapy for neuropathy. 

In 2022, Dr. Callaghan wrote the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) clinical guidelines and corresponding quality measures for the treatment of painful peripheral neuropathy.  Other recent work includes findings that diabetes patients have worse neuropsychological outcomes than healthy patients. These include dementia, mental health disorders, sleep, pain, and addiction.

Dr. Callaghan has investigated ways to improve the efficiencies of healthcare delivery within neurology with a focus on peripheral neuropathy. Additionally, he has studied the utilization and costs associated with neurologic testing, prescriptions, and neurologic visits with implications for payment reform.  Recently he published research that showed that newer medications for neurologic disorders are expensive and utilization is likely low since there is little motivation to push clinicians away from current therapies since effectiveness is similar.  However, it is not clear how these high costs affect more highly effective new medications because they are treatments for rare disorders.

• Chair, Peripheral Nerve Society (PNS) Education Committee
• Vice Chair, American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Health Services Research Subcommittee 

Reynolds EL, Gallagher G, Hill CE, Banerjee M, Mante A, Esper GJ, Callaghan BC. Costs and Utilization of New-to-Market Neurologic Medications. Neurology. 2022 Nov 30:10.1212/WNL.0000000000201627. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000201627. Online ahead of print.PMID: 36450601

Putnam NM, Reynolds EL, Banerjee M, Mizokami-Stout K, Albright D, Lee J, Pop-Busui R, Feldman EL, Callaghan BC. Neuropsychological Outcomes in Individuals With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Mar 4;13:834978. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.834978. eCollection 2022.PMID: 35317223   

Price R, Smith D, Franklin G, Gronseth G, Pignone M, David WS, Armon C, Perkins BA, Bril V, Rae-Grant A, Halperin J, Licking N, O'Brien MD, Wessels SR, MacGregor LC, Fink K, Harkless LB, Colbert L, Callaghan BC. Oral and Topical Treatment of Painful Diabetic Polyneuropathy: Practice Guideline Update Summary: Report of the AAN Guideline Subcommittee. Neurology. 2022 Jan 4;98(1):31-43. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013038.PMID: 34965987

Callaghan BC, Armon C, Bril V, Colbert L, David WS, Del Toro DR, Fink K, Jones LK Jr, Kleemeier R, MacGregor LC, Bennett A, Shenoy A. Polyneuropathy Quality Measurement Set: Quality Improvement in Neurology. Neurology. 2022 Jan 4;98(1):22-30. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013037.PMID: 34965986 

Callaghan BC, Reynolds EL, Banerjee M, Akinci G, Chant E, Villegas-Umana E, Rothberg AE, Burant CF, Feldman EL. Dietary weight loss in people with severe obesity stabilizes neuropathy and improves symptomatology. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2021 Dec;29(12):2108-2118. doi: 10.1002/oby.23246. Epub 2021 Nov 7.PMID: 34747574