VNS (Vagus Nerve Stimulation) is sometimes known as a pacemaker for the brain. This entails implanting a stimulator device beneath the skin in the chest and wrapping a wire around the vagus nerve in the neck. It aids in seizure prevention by giving the brain frequent, moderate electrical pulses. Typically, the patient is unaware that the gadget is in use.
A recent study looked at a group of juvenile patients who had drug-resistant epilepsy. The study discovered that when combined with anti-seizure drugs (ASM), patients who received VNS had reduced hospital expenditures than those who had ASM alone. The study identified that patients treated with ASM plus VNS saved more than $3,000 in epilepsy-related annual costs per year. This is in comparison to those treated with ASM solo. These findings are highly relevant for the Pediatric Epilepsy Therapeutics Market as it suggests that children with drug-resistant epilepsy had considerably lower inpatient healthcare utilisation after receiving VNS plus ASM versus ASM alone.
Reducing the seizure burden and improving the quality of life are significant aims for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. Researchers took a health services research approach to the patients' journey of a complex disease process that is drug-resistant epilepsy has yet to be cured. The group quantified features of surgical and medical therapy outcomes and examined their impact on healthcare expenditures and utilisation.
The research is one-of-a-kind in a variety of ways. There has been no previous research comparing the outcomes of children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Especially ones that compared the outcome of patients receiving VNS and ASMs to those who just received ASMs. The study's researchers discovered that children treated with VNS plus ASM had lower emergency department costs than children treated with ASM alone.
The report also breaks down prices by care location (inpatient, outpatient, and Emergency Department).he average annual total expenses were more significant in the ASM-only cohort. The group also discovered that VNS plus ASM had higher outpatient care costs than ASM alone. The authors highlight that it is not surprising that children required more outpatient treatment initially after VNS implantation. This is because device correction for each patient is necessary during this time period. In the second year, outpatient costs for children with VNS dropped considerably. Future research should focus on expenditures and patterns of care in longer-term follow-up.