Sleep quality and daytime sleepiness in patients with epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
Poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) are common complaints of patients with epilepsy (PWE). This study aimed to evaluate possible predisposing factors for EDS and subjective sleep quality in PWE.


METHODS
One hundred and seventeen PWE were enrolled and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited as controls. EDS was evaluated by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) while the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was designed to evaluate overall sleep quality. Clinical baseline data and possible risk factors for sleep disturbances were included in the statistical analysis.


RESULTS
Twenty percent of PWE (23/117) and 7% of healthy controls (2/30) had excessive daytime sleepiness (p = 0.007). PWE had significantly higher PSQI total scores (6.5 ± 3.8 vs. 3.7 ± 2.9), sleep latency (1.2 ± 0.8 vs. 0.6 ± 0.7) and sleep efficiency (0.8 ± 1.0 vs. 0.0 ± 0.2) scores than the controls (all p < 0.001). A significantly higher prevalence of poor sleep quality was found in the partial seizure, non-seizure-free, and polytherapy groups (all p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that poor seizure control was the strongest independent risk factor for poor sleep quality (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.15-5.15, p = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
EDS and poor sleep quality are common in PWE and are closely related to partial epilepsy, poor seizure control, and polytherapy. These relationships must be addressed in order to provide the best management of sleep disturbance in such patients.
Department of Neurosurgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Nai-Ching
NC
Chen
Meng-Han
MH
Tsai
Chiung-Chih
CC
Chang
Cheng-Hsien
CH
Lu
Wen-Neng
WN
Chang
Shung-Lon
SL
Lai
Yu-Lung
YL
Tseng
Yao-Chung
YC
Chuang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology*