Quality of life, psychiatric symptoms, and stigma perception in three groups of persons with epilepsy

Assessment of stigmatization and self-esteem in patients with epilepsy

AIM

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between stigmatization and self-esteem of patients with epilepsy.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 216 patients at a university hospital in Van, a province in eastern Turkey. The researcher prepared the data collection tools, including a personal information form, Jacoby Stigma Scale and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, in line with the literature. The Jacoby stigma scale was applied to assess stigma. Data analysis was performed using t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey, LSD coefficient.

RESULTS

The mean total stigmatization score of patients with epilepsy was 21.11 ± 10.00, while the mean total self-esteem score was 20.26 ± 5.16. The study found a significant negative correlation between stigmatization and self-esteem scores (r = -0.411; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The research study revealed that patient with epilepsy have a high perception of stigma and low selfesteem levels.

Influence of personality profile in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy on quality of life following surgical treatment: A 1-year follow-up study

The objectives of this study are to determine the influence of personality profile in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy on quality of life (QoL) after surgical treatment and compare the results with a non-surgical control group at the 1-year follow-up. We conducted a prospective, comparative, controlled study, including 70 patients suffering from drug-resistant epilepsy. Demographic, psychiatric, neurological, and psychological data were recorded at the baseline and at the 1-year follow-up. Assessment of personality dimensions was performed using the NEO-FFI-R questionnaire; severity of anxiety and depression were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and QoL was evaluated using the QOLIE-31. At the 1-year follow-up, comparing the control and the surgical groups, we detected differences in scores of most items of QoL, which were higher in those patients who had undergone surgery. High levels of Conscientiousness and Openness to experience at the baseline in patients who underwent surgery predicted better post-surgical outcomes in the QoL scores, whereas high neurotic patients showed worse QoL results. Postoperative changes in QoL in patients were associated with the personality profile at the baseline. QoL measures significantly improved in the surgical group compared with the non-surgical group but were not associated with baseline or postoperative seizure frequency at 1 year.

Brain Surgery for Medically Intractable Epilepsy

This review covers the broad topic of brain surgery in the treatment of pediatric intractable epilepsy. The authors review the latest advancements in the presurgical workup as well as the mandatory tests needed to explore the epilepsy workup in these children. They describe the different types of epilepsy from a surgical standpoint (temporal, extratemporal, multifocal, and hemispheric epilepsies) and various surgical procedures that can be proposed depending on the clinical scenario: lesionectomies, lobectomies, hemispherectomies, neuromodulation, and palliative surgeries. They also describe the key differences of the pediatric patient as compared with the adult patient in such pathologic conditions.

Medium-term changes in patients with epilepsy during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to social distancing measures and impaired medical care of chronic neurological diseases, including epilepsy, which may have adversely affected well-being and quality of life of patients with epilepsy (PWE). The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the levels of anxiety, depression, somnolence, and quality of life using validated scales in PWE in real-life clinical practice.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Self-administered scales of anxiety disorders (GAD-7), depression (NDDI-E), somnolence (Epworth Sleepiness Scale; ESS), and quality of life (QOLIE-31-P) in PWE treated in a Refractory Epilepsy Unit were longitudinally analyzed. Data were collected before the beginning (December 2019 - March 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2020-January 2021).

RESULTS

158 patients (85 from the first round and 73 from the second round) 45.0 ± 17.3 years of age, 43.2% women, epilepsy duration 23.0 ± 14.9 years, number of antiepileptic drugs 2.1 ± 1.4, completed the survey. Significant longitudinal reduction of QOLIE-31-P (from 58.9 ± 19.7 to 56.2 ± 16.2, p = .035) and GAD-7 scores (from 8.8 ± 6.2 to 8.3 ± 5.9, corrected p = .024) was identified. No statistically significant longitudinal changes in the number of seizures (from 0.9 ± 1.9 to 2.5 ± 6.2, p = .125) or NDDI-E scores (from 12.3 ± 4.3 to 13.4 ± 4.4, p = .065) were found. Significant longitudinal increase of ESS (from 4.9 ± 3.7 to 7.4 ± 4.9, p = .001) was found.

CONCLUSIONS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, quality of life and anxiety levels were lower in PWE, and sleepiness levels were raised, without seizure change.

The Quality of Life in Patients with Epilepsy in the Context of Sleep Problems and Sexual Satisfaction

Epilepsy influences the quality of patient functioning in almost all aspects of life. This study aimed to assess the quality of difficulties with sleep initiation and those concerning sexual function, and to assess whether sleep disorders are associated with selected aspects of sexual function and quality of life. The study involved completing a quality-of-life questionnaire for persons with epilepsy: a QOLIE-31 questionnaire, and the present authors' questionnaire, including 20 questions. A total of 170 questionnaires were completed by 89 men and 81 women. Sleep problems of various frequency were reported by 98 participants (57.6%). Only 41% of patients were definitely satisfied with their sex life. The respondents who declared dissatisfaction with their sex life more often reported difficulties with sleep initiation (χ2 = 10.20; p ≤ 0.001). Moreover, those who claimed that epilepsy might contribute to sex life problems more commonly declared dissatisfaction with their sex life (χ2 = 20.01; p ≤ 0.001) and more frequently, reported difficulties with sleep initiation (χ2 = 6.30; p ≤ 0.012). The issues should constitute the constant element of medical history taking, as improvement in these areas of functioning may promote better quality of life in patients with epilepsy.