A 6-Year Follow-up Study of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Effect on Quality of Life in Treatment-Resistant Depression A Pilot Study
Trottier-Duclos F, Desbeaumes Jodoin V, Fournier-Gosselin MP, Richer F, Desjardins N, Tieu S, Lespérance P.
Journal of ECT • Volume 00, Number 00, Month 2018
http://doi.org/10.1097/YCT.0000000000000485
At the end of our monthly theme, vagus nerve stimulation (#VNS) and quality of life (#QoL), we would like to highlight a prospective naturalistic study by Trottier-Duclos et al. (Dec. 2018) on the treatment effects of VNS on QoL in patients with treatment-resistant depression (#TRD).
This publication is the first long-term follow-up study beyond two years to examine the effect of VNS on QoL in patients with refractory depression. Ten patients, including six women and four men with a mean age of 50 years, were enrolled for ten assessments at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 months.
Throughout the follow-up, clinically and statistically significant improvements in the scores of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (F9,81 = 14.745, P < 0.001) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (F9,81 = 7.211, P < 0.001) were observed.
The effect on QoL was evaluated by the 36 item Short Form questionnaire (#SF-36). The results showed clinically and statistically significant improvements in the patients’ mental component score (P = 0.012) and physical component score (P = 0.002).
Noteworthy, no discontinuation was reported during the 6-years follow-up. 80% of the patients were working, searching for jobs, or volunteering when the article was made.
Figure 1 demonstrates the change in mean scores of symptoms scales and QoL questionnaire scores through the 6-year follow-up.