title: The influence of comorbid depression on quality of life for people with epilepsy.
abstract: The impact of depression on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for people with epilepsy was evaluated using a postal survey that assessed HRQOL, depression, and seizure severity (N=501). QOLIE-89 scores were significantly reduced by comorbid depression (all P<0.0001) for all types of seizures. People with predominantly major, partial, and minor seizures had significantly poorer HRQOL if they had mild-moderate or major depression (all P<0.0001). People with any type of recent seizure had significantly poorer HRQOL in all domains than people who were seizure-free for 3 months. Differences between groups by depression category were clinically significant (>12 points). Depression (r=-0.72), seizure bothersomeness (r=-0.54), seizure severity (r=-0.37), and days disabled with seizures (r=-0.65) were significantly correlated with poorer HRQOL in all domains than found for nondepressed patients (all subscales P<0.0001). Clinical depression is significantly associated with poorer HRQOL among people with all types of seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 950 Campbell Avenue (G7E), New Haven, CT 06516-2770, USA. joyce.cramer@yale.edu
authors.forename: Joyce A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cramer
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fanning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012640:Seizures / Q000503:physiopathology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires