title: Evaluation of heart rate variability in dogs during standard and microburst vagus nerve stimulation: a pilot study.
abstract: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an established treatment for epilepsy and depression in human patients, but in both humans and dogs, optimal stimulation parameters remain unknown. Delivering afferent bursts of stimulation may be promising as a means of increasing efficacy, but evaluation of potential effects on the heart due to unavoidable efferent stimulation is required. The present study investigated heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy Beagle dogs treated with 1 h of sham, standard or microburst left-sided VNS in a crossover design. No significant differences were found between the stimulation paradigms for any of the cardiac parameters. Short-term left-sided VNS, including a novel bursting pattern (microburst VNS), had no statistically significant effect on HRV in ambulatory healthy dogs. Studies in a larger number of animals with long-term VNS are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: Valentine.Martle@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Valentine
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martlé
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bavegems
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Ham
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kristl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vonck
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Robrecht
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raedt
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Biology of Large Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stanislas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sys
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhatti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012016:Reference Values; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Dog; Heart rate variability; Holter monitoring; Microburst; Vagus nerve stimulation