Optimization of the Parameters of Vagal Nerve Stimulation

NCT ID: NCT04693221

Last Updated: 2026-02-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

140 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-04-16

Study Completion Date

2026-12-12

Brief Summary

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Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is one of the neuromodulation techniques that can be indicated in patients suffering from refractory epilepsies, especially when an open resection has failed or is not indicated. However to date it is not possible to predict which patients will respond and what are the best parameters of stimulation to be set (pulse width, frequency and intensity). It has been shown that responders to VNS have reduced interictal cortical synchronicity on scalp EEG based on phase lag index (PLI), a marker of functional connectivity (Fc) The aim of this study is to test the following hypothesis: setting the parameters of stimulation on the basis of the lowest values of Phase Lag Index (PLI) obtained on scalp EEG with different settings of parameters (as compared with a randomly chosen set of commonly used parameters) will increase the rate of responders to VNS.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Epilepsy

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators

Study Groups

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Control

VNS therapy with randomly-set combination of parameters (similar to current practice)

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

EEG

Intervention Type OTHER

Patient will have an EEG and 12 sets of parameters will be tested. EEG results will be analyzed which will allow to determine the set involving the lowest phase lag index.

Experimental

VNS therapy with set combination of parameters chosen based on the lowest phase lag index

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Choice of VNS set of parameters based on the lowest PLI

Intervention Type OTHER

Vagal nerve stimulation according to PLI results.

EEG

Intervention Type OTHER

Patient will have an EEG and 12 sets of parameters will be tested. EEG results will be analyzed which will allow to determine the set involving the lowest phase lag index.

Interventions

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Choice of VNS set of parameters based on the lowest PLI

Vagal nerve stimulation according to PLI results.

Intervention Type OTHER

EEG

Patient will have an EEG and 12 sets of parameters will be tested. EEG results will be analyzed which will allow to determine the set involving the lowest phase lag index.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Male or female epileptic patients over 12 years of age
* Suffering from pharmaco-resistant epilepsy
* With newly implanted VNS Aspire SR device
* Surgery performed in the previous 6 months
* Electrode impedance should be within normal range ( \< 4000 Ohms)
* Auto-stim mode working properly
* Mean number of seizures of at least (average 4 (mean value) / months during the baseline period)
* Patient, parents or legally representatives who have given written informed consent to allow the study data collection and procedures

Exclusion Criteria

* Difficulty to read or understand the French language, or inability to understand the information regarding the study
* Total patient's IQ below 64
* Subject in exclusion period due to enrolment in another study
* Patient with postoperative left vocal cord paralysis
* Patient on VNS since more than 6 months
Minimum Eligible Age

12 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Assistance Publique Hopitaux De Marseille

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Jean-Olivier ARNAUD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille

Locations

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Department of functional explorations of the nervous system, CHU

Amiens, France, France

Site Status

Neuropediatrics department, CHU Angers

Angers, France, France

Site Status

Neurology Department, CHU Bordeaux

Bordeaux, France, France

Site Status

Clinical neurophysiology, CHU Dijon

Dijon, France, France

Site Status

Epilepsy neurophysiopathology department, CHU Grenoble

Grenoble, France, France

Site Status

Clinical neurophysiology, CHU Lille

Lille, France, France

Site Status

HCL Lyon

Lyon, France, France

Site Status

Department of clinical neurophysiology, Hôpital La Timone, APHM

Marseille, France, France

Site Status

Neurosurgery Department, CHRU Nancy

Nancy, France, France

Site Status

Neurosurgery Department, CHU Nantes

Nantes, France, France

Site Status

Neurosurgery Department, APHP

Paris, France, France

Site Status

Neurophysiology Department

Paris, France, France

Site Status

Epileptology Department, CHU Rennes

Rennes, France, France

Site Status

Neurophysiology Department, CHU Rouen

Rouen, France, France

Site Status

Neurology Department, CHU Strasbourg

Strasbourg, France, France

Site Status

Neurophysiological explorations, Hôpital Pierre Paul Riquet, Purpan

Toulouse, France, France

Site Status

Neurology and clinical neurophysiology, CHU Bretonneau

Tours, France, France

Site Status

Hôpital St Joseph St Luc

Lyon, FRA, France

Site Status

Countries

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France

Other Identifiers

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2020-A02657-32

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2020-05

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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