title: Subjective somnolence relates mainly to depression among patients in a tertiary care epilepsy center.
abstract: Many patients with epilepsy complain of decreased energy and somnolence. There is increased awareness that comorbidity, especially depression, plays an important role in determining the quality of life for patients with epilepsy. We set out to determine how subjective somnolence is affected by depression, age, hours of sleep, sleep apnea, seizure frequency, and numbers of antiepileptic drugs and central nervous system drugs. A questionnaire and chart review were used to investigate patients in a tertiary referral center. We found that subjective somnolence was prominent and that it relates mainly to depression, less to obstructive sleep apnea, and not to the other variables. Further investigation is needed into the relationship between depression and subjective somnolence in patients with epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Drexel Medical College, Broad and Vine Streets, Hahnemann University Hospital, Mail Stop 308, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. sigmund.jenssen@drexelmed.edu
authors.forename: Sigmund
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jenssen
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gracely
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.forename: Joseph I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sperling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants