An observational study in Treatment Resistant Depression, sponsored by LivaNova. Recruiting at 18 sites in 4 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-27.
Sponsored by LivaNova · Observational
The primary objective of this study is to assess short, mid and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with difficult to treat depression (such as patients with treatment resistant depression) treated with Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy as adjunctive therapy.
The population under study comprises a real-world patient population with difficult to treat depression: patients diagnosed with unipolar or bipolar disorder with chronic or recurrent depression who fail to achieve an adequate response to standard psychiatric management.
The diagnosis of depression and comorbid disorders will be determined based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).
A minimum of five hundred (500) patients will be implanted with a VNS Therapy System and up to eighty (80) sites may participate in this study.
Enrollment will take 11 years, based on competitive enrollment. For each subject a baseline visit will occur between 1 and 6 weeks before implant.
Once implanted with the device, subjects will be followed-up for a minimum of 36 months and a maximum of 60 months. The study may stop when the last subject has reached the 36 months follow-up.
The population under study comprises a real-world patient population with difficult to treat depression: patients diagnosed with unipolar or bipolar disorder with chronic or recurrent depression who fail to achieve an adequate response to standard psychiatric management.
The diagnosis of depression and comorbid disorders will be determined based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).
Exclusion Criteria:
There are no exclusion criteria; the investigator should refer to the (local applicable) VNS Therapy Physician's Manual.
The aim of this study is to include patients with difficult to treat depression from a global "real world" (standard of care) population who are referred for treatment with VNS Therapy.
Device: Vagal Nerve Simulation (VNS) Therapy
A VNS Therapy System used for vagus nerve stimulation and consisting of an implantable VNS Therapy generator, lead, and external programming system.
The primary endpoint of this study is response defined as reduction in Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score of at least 50% from baseline to 12 months post implant.
MADRS is a 10-item diagnostic questionnaire used to measure the severity of depressive episodes in patients with mood disorders. Each item yields a score of 0 to 6. The overall score ranges from 0 to 60. Higher MADRS score indicates more severe depression. A 'Responder' is a subject that achieved ≥ 50% reduction from baseline in MADRS total score at the M12 assessment. A 'Non-Responder' is any patient who did not achieve ≥ 50% reduction from baseline in MADRS score at the M12 assessment. No formal hypothesis testing is presented; all the proposed statistical tests are descriptive in nature. The Primary endpoint analysis as defined above will be done only on patients that are enrolled while in a major depressive episode (MDE); the cut off point for current MDE at time of implant will be a MADRS score of 20. For the patients with a MADRS score below 20 at time of enrollment, only the continuous change in MADRS can be described (as the MADRS can only worsen or stay the same).
Time frame: 12 months
Duration of response
computed as the difference between the first recorded date post baseline that response is achieved (MADRS reduction from baseline ≥ 50%) and the first date at which MADRS again increased to a level of \<40% from baseline.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Change in MADRS
Change in MADRS over time
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Cumulative response
Cumulative percentage of first-time MADRS responders (MADRS reduction from baseline ≥ 50%) at any post-baseline visit.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Cumulative remission
Cumulative percentage of subjects in remission (MADRS ≤9) at any post-baseline visit.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in depression score As measured by the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (QIDS-SR).
The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR) is a 16-item, subject-completed questionnaire of the symptoms of mood and depression. The total score ranges from 0 to 27. A higher QIDS-SR score indicates a more severe depression.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in mania score as measured by the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM)*.
\*Optional assessments: to be done at selected sites only and based on investigator's clinical judgment to decide which subjects complete them. The Altman Self-rating Mania Scale (ASRM) is a 5-item self-reported diagnostic scale which can be used to assess the presence and severity manic and hypomanic symptoms, most commonly in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The total score ranges from 0 to 20. A score of 6 or higher indicates a high probability of a manic or hypomanic condition.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in Quality of Life as measured by the EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L)
The EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) is a standardized 5-item subject completed questionnaire measuring generic health status and quality of life.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in patient function as measured by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Scale (WPAI)
The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI) is a subject self-reported 6-item questionnaire that measures impairments in work and activities. WPAI outcomes are expressed as impairment percentages, with higher numbers indicating greater impairment and less productivity.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in Quality of Life and patient function as measured by the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire - Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF)
The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire - Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) is a standardized 16-item, self-report scale to assess the degree of enjoyment and satisfaction experienced by the subject during the past week.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in suicidality as measured by item #10 of MADRS.
Item 10 on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scale assesses suicidal thoughts as representing the feeling that life is not worth living, that a natural death would be welcome, suicidal thoughts and preparations for suicide and is rated from 0 to 6. A score of ≥ 4 ('probably better off dead') is of particular interest.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in suicidality as measured by item #12 of QIDS-SR.
For Item 12 of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR), the subject assesses any thoughts of death or suicide over the previous 7 days on a 4- point scale; a score of ≥ 2 ('I think of suicide or death several times a week for several minutes') being of interest.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in adjunctive antidepressant pharmacological treatment
All adjunctive concomitant antidepressant and psychotropic medications will be collected
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in adjunctive antidepressant non-pharmacological treatment
The following adjunctive non-pharmacological treatments will be collected: maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and psychotherapy
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]
The following adverse events will be collected: serious adverse events, deaths, VNS Therapy related adverse events and device deficiencies.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in cognition
As measured by THINC-it® Tool\*. \*Optional assessments: to be done at selected sites only and based on investigator's clinical judgment to decide which subjects complete them.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Changes in anxiety as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD 7)*.
\*Optional assessments: to be done at selected sites only and based on investigator's clinical judgment to decide which subjects complete them. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) is a 7-item self-reported questionnaire for screening and severity measuring of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD-7 has seven items and uses a normative system of scoring. Assessment is indicated by the total score, which made up by adding together the scores for the scale all seven items.
Time frame: through study completion, an average of 4 years
Plan to share: No
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Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant→
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