[Factors associated with quality of life in epileptics and the variations between men and women, younger and older people].
OBJECTIVE
To determine factors associated with quality of life (QOL) in epileptics and the variations between men and women, younger and older people.


METHODS
A total of 204 patients (160 younger, 49 older; 125 men, 79 women) were interviewed by the quality of life in epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31), side effect profile (SEP), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD). Medical and socio-demographic data were acquired from patient records. Multivariate linear regressive analyses were used to determine the set of best predictors of composite QOLIE-31 score.


RESULTS
No statistical difference was revealed in QOLIE-31 overall score either between younger and older patients or between men and women. Among all patients, regressive analyses revealed that SEP (beta = - 0.395, P = 0.000) and SAS (beta = -0.152, P = 0.016) were two strong predictors of QOLIE-31 overall score. Grouped by gender, among men, epilepsy duration (beta = -0.165, P = 0.028) and seizure frequency (beta = -0.284, P = 0.001) respectively associated with QOLIE-31 overall score and "social function" score while the number of AEDs (antiepileptic drugs) substantially correlated with QOLIE-31 overall score among women (beta= -0.238, P = 0.006). Grouped by ages, seizure frequency (beta = -0.284, P = 0.000) and education level (beta = 0.203, P = 0.005) predicted QOLIE-31 "social function" score only among younger patients; among older patients, a significant association were found between the number of AEDs and QOLIE-31 overall score (beta = - 0.363, P = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
Side effects of AEDs and number of AEDs exert greater effect on QOL in women and older patients. And such seizure-related variables as epileptic duration and seizure frequency influence QOL only among men and younger patients.
Yue
Li
L
Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
Yu
Pei-Min
PM
Zhao
De-Hao
DH
Wu
Dong-Yan
DY
Wu
Xun-Yi
XY
Zhu
Guo-Xing
GX
Hong
Zhen
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
D000927:Anticonvulsants