title: The effect of seizure severity on quality of life in epilepsy.
abstract: Seizure severity is an important aspect of epilepsy. The relationship between seizure severity and quality of life in epilepsy, however, has been incompletely explored. With a data set of 118 women from the baseline phase of a clinical treatment trial, the relationship between seizure severity and aspects of quality of life was evaluated. Two domains of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31) correlated highly significantly with seizure severity: Seizure Worry (r=-0.265, P=.004) and Social Functioning (r=-0.280, P=0.002). Two additional domains were significantly correlated: Overall Quality of Life (r=-0.210, P=0.023) and Cognitive (r=-0.209, P=0.024). When the potentially confounding effect of depression, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, was controlled for, the regression of seizure severity with QOLIE-31 Seizure Worry remained significant (P=0.006, R(2)=0.153), as did the regression with QOLIE-31 Social Functioning (P=0.002, R(2)=0.184) and the regression with QOLIE-31 Cognitive (P=0.037, R(2)=0.30). These findings indicate that severe and potentially injurious seizure behaviors contribute to anxiety and socially avoidant behavior for persons with intractable epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. clharden@mail.med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Harden
authors.forename: David Aaron
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Maroof
authors.forename: Blagovest
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nikolov
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sperling
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liporace
authors.forename: Page
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pennell
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Labar
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herzog
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012640:Seizures; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric