title: Changes in quality of life and self-perspective related to surgery in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate changes in intractable epilepsy patients in terms of quality of life, depression, anxiety, stigma, and impact of epilepsy before and after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy who were waiting for surgery (pre-SAH group) and 21 patients who had already undergone surgery (post-SAH group) were studied. All patients received SF-36, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, stigma and impact of epilepsy inventories, and a form asking their own perspectives about epilepsy and surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-SAH group scored higher on all subscales of SF-36, with only RE scores being significantly better (t=-1.98, P=.05). Although depression, anxiety, and stigma scores were higher in pre-SAH group, only impact of epilepsy scores were significantly higher in pre-SAH group (t=-2.951, P=.005). Seizure frequency and comorbidity had significant effects on QOL where amount of AEDs and QOL were negatively related (r=-0.318, P<0.05). Both groups stated lack of independence and social activities as the main concern (48.8%) and recovery from epilepsy as the most important expectation from surgery (85.4%). Post-surgical group mentioned the difference in their life after surgery as independence and increase in social activities (47.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  QOL of patients after surgery was found to be better than before surgery. Results also revealed that seizure frequency, comorbidity, and anti-epileptic medication affected health related QOL negatively. Impact of epilepsy levels was found to be higher among the pre-SAH patients. Finally, independence seemed to be the most important concern and gain for Turkish epilepsy patients.
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. aydemirn@istanbul.edu.tr <aydemirn@istanbul.edu.tr>
authors.forename: Nuran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aydemir
authors.forename: Cigdem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozkara
authors.forename: Reşit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Canbeyli
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tekcan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000601:surgery; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012640:Seizures / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants