Clinical benefits and cost effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation in a long-term treatment of patients with major depression.
BACKGROUND
To evaluate clinical aspects and cost effectiveness of the treatment with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), a group of 9 VNS-implanted patients and 9 age- and sex-matched patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression were included in a prospective study.


METHODS
The psychopathological ratings over 12 months as well as socio-economic data on the duration of hospitalisation, frequency of outpatient treatment, and subsequent drug treatment were compared with the pre-implantation period.


RESULTS
Compared with baseline values in the HAMD scale (mean 23.7; SD 2.4), there was a significant (t=14.5; df=8; p<0.001) improvement in symptoms after 12 months' stimulation (mean 10.2; SD 2.4). The duration of hospitalisation dropped on average by 20 days in the first post-implantation year, the treatment frequency from 33 to 14 visits, and drug treatment from 4 to an average of 3 psychotropic drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to an improvement in clinical symptoms, the VNS method might enable an amortisation of costs.
Sperling
W
W
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, Erlangen 91054, Germany. Wolfgang.Sperling@ukerlangen.de
Reulbach
U
U
Kornhuber
J
J
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation / Q000191:economics*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents