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The effect of vagus nerve stimulation therapy on body mass index in children
Sujay Kansagra1, Nour Ataya, Darrell Lewis
1Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Insights
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy in children with epilepsy did not significantly alter body mass index (BMI) percentile over a four-year period. This study found no major clinical impact on weight metrics in pediatric patients receiving VNS.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- The impact of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on weight in pediatric epilepsy patients remains unclear.
- Understanding VNS effects on body mass index (BMI) is crucial for comprehensive patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term effects of VNS therapy on BMI percentile in pediatric patients with epilepsy.
- To determine if VNS significantly influences weight gain or loss in this population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 23 pediatric patients who received VNS implantation between 2001 and 2009.
- Comparison of baseline BMI percentile with follow-up measurements at 1 year and long-term (average 4.2 years).
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in BMI percentile was observed at 1-year (P=0.992) or long-term follow-up (P=0.681) compared to baseline.
- Average BMI percentile remained stable, with no major clinically significant changes noted over the study period.
Conclusions:
- Long-term VNS therapy in pediatric epilepsy patients does not appear to have a significant clinical effect on BMI percentile.
- VNS is unlikely to cause substantial weight alterations in children treated for epilepsy over extended periods.
Abstract:
The effects of vagus nerve stimulation on weight in individuals with epilepsy are not fully characterized. A retrospective review was performed of all pediatric patients who underwent placement of a vagus nerve stimulator at Duke University Medical Center. Baseline body mass index (BMI) percentile was compared with percentile on follow-up visits. We studied 23 patients who had undergone VNS placement during the period 2001-2009. Baseline BMI percentile was 61.7 ± 34.3. We had a power of 81% to detect a difference of 20 in BMI percentile from baseline to last follow-up. At the 1-year follow-up (mean=345 ± 112 days) and last follow-up (mean 4.2 ± 2.4 years) the average BMI percentile was 61.6 ± 31.88 and 56.09 ± 30.83, respectively. There was no significant difference in BMI percentile as compared with baseline at the 1-year and last follow-up visits (P=0.992 and 0.681, respectively). Long-term pediatric VNS therapy did not have a major clinically significant effect on BMI percentile during an average follow-up of more than 4 years.
