The Effects of Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Patients with Intractable Seizures and Autism or Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
Abstract number :
2.186
Submission category :
Year :
2001
Submission ID :
2741
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Dec 1, 2001, 06:00 AM
Authors :
Y.D. Park, MD, Department of Neurology (child), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; and the VNS Registry Group
RATIONALE: We assessed the effects of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) among patients with intractable seizures and autism or Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS).
METHODS: We queried the VNS patient outcome registry for patients with intractable seizures and either autism or Landau-Kleffner Syndrome (LKS) before implantation with the VNS pulse generator. We identified a constant cohort of patients with autism and follow-up data at both 3 and 12 months as well as a group of patients with LKS and follow-up data at 3 months. Data were collected for reductions in seizure frequency and changes in quality of life.
RESULTS: Patients with autism - Median seizure reduction among the 22 patients in the constant cohort of patients with autism was 45% (range -100 to +100) after 3 months of VNS therapy and 70.9% (range -100 to +100) after 12 months. After 3 months, reported quality of life improved from baseline in alertness for 91% of the patients, in verbal for 64%, in memory for 32%, and in achievement, mood, postictal period, and seizure clustering for 50%. After 12 months of VNS, reported quality of life improved from baseline in alertness for 91% of the patients, in verbal for 55%, in memory for 36%, in achievement for 68%, in mood for 73%, in postictal period for 59%, and in seizure clustering for 64%.
Patients with LKS - Median seizure reduction among the 6 patients with LKS was 15% (range -100 to 0) after 3 months of VNS therapy. After 3 months, reported quality of life improved from baseline in alertness for 83% of the patients, in verbal for 50%, in memory for 33%, in achievement for 50%, in mood for 33%, in postictal period for 67%, and seizure clustering for 33%.
CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life, as assessed by the healthcare provider, improved strikingly among these patients with autism and LKS who received VNS therapy. Reductions in seizure frequency increased over time for the patients with autism, as did most aspects of quality of life. Reductions in seizure frequency among the patients with LKS were quite modest. Long-term follow-up studies of the effects of VNS in greater numbers of patients with autism and LKS are needed.
Support: Cyberonics, Inc.
Disclosure: Honoraria - Cyberonics, Inc. Member speakers[ssquote] bureau.