title: Relationship of clinical and quality of life trajectories following the onset of seizures: findings from the UK MESS Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We defined a series of clinical trajectories represented among adult patients with new-onset seizures across a 4-year follow-up period; and linked these clinical trajectories to the quality of life (QOL) profiles and trajectories of those experiencing them. We examined both between- and within-group differences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyses were based on 253 individuals completing QOL questionnaires at baseline and 2 and 4 years subsequently. Based on patient self-report, we defined five "clinical trajectory" groups: individuals experiencing a single seizure only; individuals entering early remission; individuals experiencing late remission; individuals initially becoming seizure-free but subsequently relapsing; individuals with seizures persisting throughout follow-up. QOL profiles at each time point were compared using a validated QOL battery, NEWQOL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Even at baseline, there were significant between-group differences, with patients experiencing a single seizure only reporting the best QOL profile and those with seizures subsequently persisting across all time points reporting the worst. By 2 years, the QOL profiles of individuals experiencing early remission were similar to those of single seizure patients, as were those for late remission and relapse patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A consistent pattern was seen, with "single seizure" individuals doing best and individuals with persistent seizures doing worst. Of particular concern is that even at baseline, individuals whose seizures persisted were doing poorly for QOL, suggesting the possibility that underlying neurobiologic mechanisms were operating. In contrast, our findings support previous reports of only short-lived and small QOL decrements for individuals experiencing a single or few seizures.
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. ajacoby@liv.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jacoby
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marson
authors.forename: Gus A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003625:Data Collection; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants