Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) as symptomatic treatment of migraine in young patients: a preliminary safety study

Recent clinical experiences and clinical trials have demonstrated the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS; gammaCore^®) for the acute and prophylactic treatment of migraine. nVNS has a favorable adverse event profile, making it an attractive option for sensitive patient populations. We explored the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of nVNS as acute migraine treatment in adolescents. A group of adolescent patients suffering from migraine without aura were trained to use gammaCore to manage their migraine attacks. 46.8% of the treated migraine attacks (22/47) were considered successfully treated and did not require any rescue medication. No device-related adverse events were recorded. This preliminary study suggests that nVNS may represent a safe, well-tolerated, and effective for acute migraine treatment in adolescents.