Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37219617›Full record

ArticleChild's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery2023

Single-center long-term results of vagus nerve stimulation for pediatric epilepsy: a 10-17-year follow-up study.

J Chrastina, O Horák, M Ryzí, M Brázdil, Z Novák, T Zeman, P Danhofer

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In one paragraph

Article in Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Factors predicting the response to vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in pediatric patients with drug- resistant epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

J ChrastinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Masaryk University, Pekařská 53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic. jan.chrastina@fnusa.cz.
O HorákDepartment of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
M RyzíDepartment of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
M BrázdilBrno Epilepsy Center, First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
Z NovákDepartment of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Masaryk University, Pekařská 53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic.
T ZemanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Masaryk University, Pekařská 53, 656 91, Brno, Czech Republic.
P DanhoferDepartment of Pediatric Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.

Funding

Agentura Pro Zdravotnický Výzkum České Republiky PRESEnCE - NV - 19-04-00343
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeA retrospective study, based on a prospectively built database, presents the results of long-term follow-up care of pediatric vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) patients in terms of seizure outcome, surgical aspects, the potential impact of maturation, and medication changes.

methodsFrom a prospectively built database, 16 VNS patients (median age 12.0 years, range 6.0 to 16.0 years; median seizure duration 6.5 years, range 2.0 to 15.5 years) followed for at least 10 years were graded as non-responder - NR (seizure frequency reduction < 50%), responder - R (reduction ≥ 50% and < 80%), and 80% responder - 80R (reduction ≥ 80%). Data about surgical aspects (battery replacement, system complications), seizure dynamics, and medication changes were taken from the database.

resultsThe early percentages of good results (80R + R) were 43.8% (year 1), 50.0% (year 2), and 43.8% (year 3). These percentages remained stable between years 10 and 12 (50% year 10; 46.7% year 11; 50% year 12) and increased in years 16 (60%) and 17 (75%). Depleted batteries were replaced in ten patients, six of whom were either R or 80R. In the four NR, the indication for replacement was improved quality of life. Three patients had VNS explanted or switched off-one had repeated asystolia and two were NR. The effect of hormonal changes in menarche on seizure was not proven. During the study, antiseizure medication was changed in all patients.

conclusionsThe study proved the efficacy and safety of VNS in pediatric patients over an exceptionally long follow-up period. The demand for battery replacements indicates a positive treatment effect.

Indexed as

EpilepsyVagus Nerve StimulationAdolescentChildFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansQuality of LifeRetrospective StudiesSeizuresTreatment OutcomePalliative surgerySeizureStimulation responderStimulation treatment

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.