Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40167365›Full record

Observational studyEpilepsia2025

Reduction of generalized tonic-clonic seizures following vagus nerve stimulation therapy: CORE-VNS Study 24-month follow-up.

Ana Suller Marti, Ryan Verner, Mark Keezer, Andrea Andrade, Martin Veilleux, Kenneth Myers, Gaia Giannicola, Kathryn Nichol, Jorge G Burneo, CORE‐VNS Registry Group

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Epilepsia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

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

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. The impact of vagus nerve stimulation on the most disabling seizures: A retrospective study in adults with drug-resistant epilepsy.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Article
  4. Observational
  5. Observational
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

10 authors.

Ana Suller MartiDepartment of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8421-1125
Ryan VernerLivaNova (or a subsidiary), London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7364-7978
Mark KeezerDepartment of Neurosciences and School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Andrea AndradeDepartment of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Martin VeilleuxDepartment of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Kenneth MyersResearch Institute of the McGill University Medical Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Gaia GiannicolaLivaNova (or a subsidiary), London, UK.
Kathryn NicholLivaNova (or a subsidiary), London, UK.
Jorge G BurneoDepartment of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
CORE‐VNS Registry Group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveGeneralized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) are considered to be among the most devastating seizures due to increased health risks. Use of device-based therapies, such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), is common for those resistant to antiseizure medications and important for those in whom resective surgery is not feasible. Our objective is to investigate whether adjunctive VNS can reduce the frequency of GTCS.

methodsParticipants were enrolled in an international, multicenter, prospective observational study (CORE-VNS) on seizure and nonseizure outcomes following the implantation of VNS. Participants with GTCS at baseline were selected for analysis. Baseline seizure frequency data and patient-reported outcome measures were collected at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. This interim analysis compared baseline data to VNS therapy outcomes through 24 months.

resultsA total of 115 participants met the inclusion criteria. Following 12 months of VNS, participants experienced a median GTCS reduction of 73.9%, with 37% of participants reporting seizure freedom from GTCS for the 3 months prior to the 12-month follow-up. This outcome remained stable at 24 months, with a median GTCS reduction of 77% and 42.6% of participants reporting seizure freedom for the 3 months prior to the 24-month visit. After 12 months of VNS, the number of participants reporting the postictal severity of their most debilitating seizure as "severe" or "very severe" dropped from 52.8% to 25.3% (21/83). After 24 months of VNS, the percentage of participants reporting these levels of postictal severity was 26.3% (20/76). The participants' drug load did not change significantly during the follow-up. Adverse events were typical of those previously documented in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) using VNS. SIGNIFICANCE: Adjunctive VNS therapy was effective in reducing GTCS frequency in study participants. The sustained and consistent nature of the response further supports VNS as a long-term effective therapy in patients with DRE who have GTCS.

Indexed as

SeizuresVagus Nerve StimulationAdolescentAdultDrug Resistant EpilepsyFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeYoung Adultadverse effectsdrug‐resistant epilepsyneuromodulationpostictal severityseizure freedom

Identifiers

PMID40167365
PMCPMC12291022

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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.