Key clinical point: Cervical noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) is a safe and effective technique for relieving acute pain in migraine and cluster headaches.
Major finding : The nVNS vs. sham-device treatment was effective in attaining a pain-free status within 30 minutes ( P = .02), pain-relief status within 30 minutes ( P = .007), pain-relief status at 60 minutes ( P = .006), pain-free status in ≥50% of treated attacks ( P = .005) and reduced use of abortive medication ( P = .02). No significant differences were observed in decreased headache days ( P = .117), adverse events ( P = .81), and satisfaction ( P = .07) between the nVNS and sham-device groups.
Study details: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 6 randomized controlled trials of nVNS for treating headaches (n = 983).
Disclosures: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Citation: Lai YH et al. Neuromodulation. 2020 Mar 12. doi: 10.1111/ner.13122.