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Vagal nerve-blocking therapy safe, effective in type 2 diabetes, obesity
Treatment with intermittent electrical vagal blocking was safe and effective for reducing weight, HbA1c and other glycemic parameters at 3 years in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to data published in the Journal of Diabetes and Obesity.
Charles Billington, MD, professor in the department of medicine at the University of Minnesota, evaluated data from the VBLOC DM2 study, a prospective, open-label, observational study, on 28 adults (mean age, 51 years) with type 2 diabetes and obesity (mean BMI, 37 kg/m2) who received intermittent electrical vagal blocking (vBloc therapy, EnteroMedics), delivered via the Maestro rechargeable system. The system delivered 5,000 Hz for at least 12 hours each day; therapy did not require a specific diet or exercise program. Researchers sought to determine the therapy’s safety and efficacy for weight loss and glycemic control.
Weight loss at 3 years was comparable to that at 1 and 2 years for an estimated mean weight loss of 21% from baseline among participants. Among 18 participants who attended the 3-year visit, mean estimated percent weight loss was 24%.
Baseline HbA1c was 7.8% and was significantly reduced by 1 percentage point at 1 year after vBloc initiation; by 2 years, the reduction was 0.6 percentage points, and it remained unchanged at 3 years. At 3 years, 71% of participants had HbA1c less than 7% compared with 25% of participants at baseline. Mean estimated fasting plasma glucose also decreased from a baseline of 151 mg/dL to 133 mg/dL.
The most frequently reported adverse events were mild to moderate heartburn, constipation and neuroregulatory site pain.
“In addition to maintaining weight loss over time, successful management of comorbid conditions, such as diabetes, is critical,” Billington said in a press release. “The 3-year data from the VBLC DM2 study continue to demonstrate that vBloc therapy not only provides durable improvements in weight loss through 3 years, but also improved glycemic control in obese patients with type 2 diabetes who do not wish to undergo anatomy-altering weight-loss procedures.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: Billington reports receiving grant support from Covidien and being a consultant for Novo Nordisk. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
