title: Quality of life, anxiety and depression in adult patients after add-on of levetiracetam and conversion to levetiracetam monotherapy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the change of health related quality of life (HRQoL), anxiety and depression in adult patients in whom an adjunctive treatment with levetiracetam (LEV) was converted to a LEV monotherapy. A prospective, open, investigator initiated multicenter study enrolled 140 patients in whom LEV was added to the existing antiepileptic medication. A total of 65 patients who benefited from the 16-week add-on treatment with LEV (≥50% seizure reduction) were converted to LEV monotherapy (16-week follow-up). In LEV responders, HRQoL, anxiety and depression improved after add-on of LEV. The subsequent conversion to LEV monotherapy did not lead to a significant change in HRQoL, anxiety and depression. However, comparing baseline with LEV monotherapy, the improvements remained significant for most dimensions of HRQoL and for anxiety and depression. Patients' ratings of efficacy of LEV were related with their HRQoL after the conversion to monotherapy. Add-on therapy of LEV improved HRQoL, anxiety and depression in LEV responders. Conversion to a LEV monotherapy did not inevitably improve HRQoL in LEV responders, but the positive effect was maintained in the majority of the patients. The effects were highly related to seizure reduction.
authors.affiliation: University of Bielefeld, Department of Psychology, Universitätsstraße 25, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany. anne.hagemann@uni-bielefeld.de
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hagemann
authors.forename: Theodor W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nieder
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Witte-Bölt
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pohlmann-Eden
authors.forename: Christian E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Elger
authors.forename: Frithjof
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tergau
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schulze-Bonhage
authors.forename: Hans-Beatus
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brandt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010889:Piracetam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam