Alpha-Stim AID cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) for anxiety treatment: outcomes in a community healthcare service.

Abstract

Abstract Background: Symptoms of anxiety disorders are highly common and can have a severe impact on people’s lives; they are typically treated with psychotherapy and/or anti-anxiety medication. These treatments are not suitable for, acceptable to, or effective for everyone. Alpha-Stim AID is a cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) device with evidence of effectiveness in treating symptoms of anxiety. In this study, Alpha-Stim AID was offered through a United Kingdom (UK) universal community healthcare provider, Intermediate Care Team (ICT) community healthcare service to patients who reported signs of anxiety. Objective: The aim of this paper is to present feasibility findings and outcomes on anxiety, health status, and quality of life. Methods: Open-label patient cohort design, with no control group. Participants were adults who reported symptoms of anxiety and were under the care of universal national health service (NHS) Intermediate Care Team (ICT) community healthcare service in the United Kingdom (UK). Pre- and post-intervention assessment used participant self-report measures: generalised anxiety disorder (GAD-7) and health related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L). The three ICT staff members who offered the Alpha-Stim AID to patients completed a questionnaire on their experience. Results: Eighteen patients used the Alpha-Stim and completed outcome measures. GAD-7 scores significantly improved from 13.9 (SD = 4.3) to 7.3 (SD = 5.7) (p < 0.001), with a large effect size of 0.88. Analysis of EQ-ED-5L health index score conversions indicated perceived quality of life increased from 0.31 (SD = 0.25) to 0.48 (SD = 0.28) at end (p = 0.036), with a small effect size of 0.12. EQ-VAS scores at baseline improved from 49.2 (SD = 24.0) to 64.4 (SD = 26.2) at the end (p = 0.05), with a small effect size of 0.12. Limitations: There was no control group, and the intervention was adjunct to existing treatments. Conclusions: Alpha-Stim AID CES can be offered through a UK NHS Trust Intermediate Care Team (ICT) community healthcare service and can have a significant positive impact on symptoms of anxiety, quality of life, and health status in patients who report experience of anxiety symptoms. Roll-out through community mental health providers to people with experience of anxiety symptoms is feasible. An appropriately designed and sufficiently powered randomised controlled trial of Alpha-stim for anxiety is required.