Neurological

Rehab Plus vagus nerve stimulation can restore arm function after a stroke

HealthDay News – According to a study published in the April 24 issue of The Lancet, patients with long-term loss of arm function after an ischemic stroke after rehabilitation combined with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) have improved arm function.

Jesse Dawson, MD, of the University of Glasgow in the UK, and colleagues conducted a randomized, triple-blind, sham-controlled study in 19 stroke rehabilitation services in the UK and US. A total of 108 participants with moderate to severe arm weakness at least nine months after an ischemic stroke were randomly assigned to rehabilitation with active VNS (VNS group; 53 participants) or rehabilitation with sham stimulation (control group; 55 participants).

The researchers found that the FMA-UE value (Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity) increased by 5.0 points in the VNS group and by 2.4 points in the control group ( Difference between the groups) 2.6; 95 percent confidence interval 1.0 to 4.2; P = 0.0014). A clinically meaningful response to the FMA-UE score was achieved in 47 and 24 percent of the patients in the VNS and control groups respectively 90 days after clinical therapy (difference between the groups, 24 percent; 95 percent confidence interval). 6 to 41 percent; P = 0.0098). A serious surgery-related adverse event occurred in the control group (vocal cord paresis).

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“These study results are the first of their kind, opening up new opportunities for stroke patients that will enable them to regain more arm function years after a stroke,” a co-author said in a statement.

Several authors have disclosed financial relationships with the biopharmaceutical industry.

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Subjects:

General cardiac stroke treatments

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