Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40065452›Full record

ArticleJournal of clinical neurology (Seoul, Korea)2025

Long-Term Efficacy and Quality-of-Life Changes After Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Adult Patients With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.

Edyta Zwolińska, Marcin Birski, Szymon Hoppe, Dariusz Paczkowski, Marek Harat

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of clinical neurology (Seoul, Korea), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–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

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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.

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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

5 authors.

Edyta ZwolińskaDepartment of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Regional Children's Hospital in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6160-3373
Marcin BirskiDepartment of Neurosurgery, 10th Military Research Hospital in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6011-7559
Szymon HoppeDepartment of Neurosurgery, 10th Military Research Hospital in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8127-7869
Dariusz PaczkowskiDepartment of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Regional Children's Hospital in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4544-4301
Marek HaratDepartment of Neurosurgery, 10th Military Research Hospital in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9375-8776

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeThere is a current need to understand the efficacy and quality of life (QoL) outcomes of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Identifying patients most likely to benefit from VNS could aid in their selection, reduce side effects, and improve outcomes. Here we studied clinical and QoL outcomes after VNS in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and attempted to identify response predictors.

methodsThis was a retrospective study of 55 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy treated surgically during 2004-2018, 40 of whom were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. All surgeries were performed using a standard protocol by a neurosurgeon experienced in epilepsy treatment after referral by an attending neurologist. Data were collected from medical records and through a 28-item questionnaire on seizure frequency, duration, and strength before and after VNS, as were the number and type of postoperative complications and their significance to the patient, and QoL based on the 31-item Quality of Life in Epilepsy questionnaire.

resultsImprovements in seizure frequency, duration, and strength were observed in 65% of the patients with drug-resistant epilepsy treated using VNS. The most common complication was hoarseness (70%), and complications were poorly tolerated by 12% of the patients. Repeated surgery to replace batteries or electrodes was required in 20% of the patients. Health status was the only QoL parameter significantly impacted by VNS. No significant efficacy predictors were identified.

conclusionsEfficacy across the first month of treatment is a strong indicator of long-term outcomes of VNS. The stimulator can be removed if it does not provide any benefit.

Indexed as

epilepsyneuromodulationquality of lifevagus nerve stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40065452
PMCPMC11896742

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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.