The impact of a single seizure on health status and health care utilization.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the health status of patients after a single seizure.


METHODS
We compared single-seizure patients (SS) with patients who had well-controlled epilepsy (WC), and uncomplicated hypertension (HT). Patients were adults screened from emergency and outpatient units of two urban teaching hospitals using predefined criteria. The 83 patients (SS, 30; WC, 29; HT, 24) were interviewed by phone about functional status (SF-36), comorbid illness, cause of illness, number of visits to health providers, and drug side effects.


RESULTS
No significant differences were found among groups for health status, SF-36 domain, or occurrence of drug side effects. SS patients had significantly lower scores on vitality (p < 0.03) and a trend toward lower role physical function (p < 0.07) compared with age-adjusted population norms. SS reported more visits to health providers than WC or HT, and the number of visits remained high at interview 1 year later. Patient knowledge of the "reason" for the seizure was not associated with health status or number of visits.


CONCLUSIONS
Health status of patients within 1 year of a single seizure is similar to that of patients with well-controlled epilepsy or hypertension, but SS patients have greater health care utilization.
Dworetzky
B A
BA
Boston VAMC, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts, USA. Dworetzky.Barbara_A@Boston.VA.Gov
Hoch
D B
DB
Wagner
A K
AK
Salmanson
E
E
Shanahan
C W
CW
Bromfield
E B
EB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015897:Comorbidity; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents