Efficacy of the Vagus Nerve Stimulator in Developmental Disabilities
Abstract number :
2.332
Submission category :
Year :
2001
Submission ID :
2838
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2001, 06:00 AM
Authors :
C. Lambrakis, M.D., Neurology, Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, White Plains, NY; M. Lancman, M.D., Neurology, Northeast Regional Epilepsy Group, White Plains, NY; K. Perrine, Ph.D., Psychiatry, LIJ Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY; A. Fried, M.D., Neu
RATIONALE: The Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS) is approved for treating medically refractory seizures in a wide range of epilepsy patients. The purpose of the current study is to examine the efficacy of the VNS in lower functioning, developmentally disabled (DD) patients.
METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify all patients who underwent VNS implantation. Patients with and without developmental disabilities were identified, and were compared on seizure demographics and on the number of AEDs, seizure frequency, and seizure types prior to and after implantation.
RESULTS: Twenty-one patients with and 22 patients without DD were implanted with the VNS. The DD group was significantly younger (26.1y vs. 39.3y, p[lt].007) and had a significantly younger age at seizure onset (2.95y vs. 19.5y, p[lt].01) than the non-DD group. The number of AEDs did not differ significantly between DD and non-DD patients before (2.3 vs. 2.6) or after (2.5 vs. 2.4) VNS implantation. Both groups showed a modest but not statistically significant improvement in seizure frequency following implantation. The DD group had fewer side effects (4/21) than the non-DD group (9/22) but the difference was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: The VNS is effective in reducing seizures in a sample of developmentally disabled patients, and shows a slightly but not significantly lower incidence of side effects than a non-DD sample.