Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy Induces Changes in Heart Rate of Children during Sleep

Purpose: This study analyzed changes in the heart rates of children receiving vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Methods: Changes in the heart rates of ten children receiving VNS therapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy were evaluated with polysomnographic recordings...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epilepsia (Copenhagen) 2007-05, Vol.48 (5), p.923-930
Main Authors: Zaaimi, Boubker, Grebe, Reinhard, Berquin, Patrick, Wallois, Fabrice
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Diseases of the nervous system
Drug Resistance
Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment
Electric Stimulation Therapy
Electrocardiography - statistics & numerical data
Electroencephalography - statistics & numerical data
Epilepsy
Epilepsy - therapy
Female
Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy
Heart rate
Heart Rate - physiology
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes)
Neurology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Polysomnography - statistics & numerical data
Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects)
Respiration
Respiratory Physiological Phenomena
Sleep - physiology
Sleep Stages - physiology
Sleep, REM - physiology
Toxicity: cardiovascular system
Vagus Nerve - physiology
Vagus nerve stimulation
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Summary:Purpose: This study analyzed changes in the heart rates of children receiving vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Methods: Changes in the heart rates of ten children receiving VNS therapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy were evaluated with polysomnographic recordings, including electrocardiogram (ECG), EEG, thoraco‐abdominal distension, nasal airflow, and VNS artifacts. Measurements during stimulation were compared with those at baseline for each patient. Result: While the VNS therapy pulse generator was delivering stimulation, the heart rates of four children increased significantly (p < 0.01), decreased for one child, and increased at the end of the stimulation for one child. The heart rates of four children did not change. Changes in heart rate varied during VNS, within stimulation cycles for individual children and from one child to another. Changes in heart rate differed between rapid eye movement (REM) and non‐REM (NREM) sleep states. Respiratory changes (increases in frequency and decreases in amplitude) were concomitant with the changes in heart rate. Conclusion: In this case series of children with pharmacoresistant epilepsy, cardiorespiratory variations occurred while the VNS therapy pulse generator was delivering stimulation. Understanding these variations may allow further optimization of VNS parameters.
ISSN:0013-9580
1528-1167
DOI:10.1111/j.1528-1167.2006.01019.x