Observations on the use of vagus nerve stimulation earlier in the course of pharmacoresistant epilepsy: patients with seizures for six years or less.

Background: This study retrospectively compared the effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy among a constant cohort of patients in the patient outcome registry, which systematically monitors outcomes of patients receiving VNS therapy. Patients in the study had pharmacoresistant seizures for 6 years or less (early treatment group) or more than 6 years (late treatment group) before initiation of VNS therapy, and results are provided after both 3 and 12 months.

Review Summary: Of 405 patients, 51 were in the early and 354 in the late treatment groups.