Demographic and Clinical Correlates of Seizure Frequency: Findings from the Managing Epilepsy Well Network Database.
10.3988/jcn.2018.14.2.206
- Author:
Erdong CHEN
1
;
Martha SAJATOVIC
;
Hongyan LIU
;
Ashley BUKACH
;
Curtis TATSUOKA
;
Elisabeth WELTER
;
Samantha S SCHMIDT
;
Yvan A BAMPS
;
Shelley C STOLL
;
Tanya M SPRUILL
;
Daniel FRIEDMAN
;
Charles E BEGLEY
;
Ross SHEGOG
;
Robert T FRASER
;
Erica K JOHNSON
;
Barbara C JOBST
Author Information
1. Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA. Barbara.C.Jobst@hitchcock.org
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
epilepsy;
seizure frequency;
depression;
quality of life;
self-management
- MeSH:
Adult;
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.);
Comorbidity;
Continental Population Groups;
Depression;
Education;
Epilepsy*;
Humans;
Mass Screening;
Quality of Life;
Seizures*;
Self Care
- From:Journal of Clinical Neurology
2018;14(2):206-211
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that represents a tremendous burden on both patients and society in general. Studies have addressed how demographic variables, socioeconomic variables, and psychological comorbidity are related to the quality of life (QOL) of people with epilepsy (PWE). However, there has been less focus on how these factors may differ between patients who exhibit varying degrees of seizure control. This study utilized data from the Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the aim of elucidating differences in demographic variables, depression, and QOL between adult PWE. METHODS: Demographic variables, depression, and QOL were compared between PWE who experience clinically relevant differences in seizure occurrence. RESULTS: Gender, ethnicity, race, education, income, and relationship status did not differ significantly between the seizure-frequency categories (p>0.05). People with worse seizure control were significantly younger (p=0.039), more depressed (as assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire) (p=0.036), and had lower QOL (as determined using the 10-item Quality of Life in Epilepsy for Adults scale) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The present results underscore the importance of early screening, detection, and treatment of depression, since these factors relate to both seizure occurrence and QOL in PWE.
