title: The sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacotherapy characteristics influencing quality of life in patients with epilepsy: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quality of life (QOL) assessment in patients with epilepsy (PWE) is increasingly recognized as an important component in the management of epilepsy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to assess influence of sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacotherapy characteristics collectively on QOL in adult PWE.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional, observational study in patients with confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  QOL was assessed using modified QOLIE-10 questionnaire for epilepsy. Univariate and multiple regression analysis were done to determine factors associated with poor QOL, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 451 PWE, with a mean age 27.3 ± 8.15 years, 251 (56%) males and 191 (42%) had monthly income < 5000 Indian national rupees (INR)/month. The QOLIE score was 64.1 ± 15.97 (Mean ± SD). The univariate analysis showed factors such as lower monthly income, focal epilepsy, seizure frequency, antiepileptic drug (AED) polytherapy, conventional AEDs and frequent adverse drug reactions (ADRs) had significant negative influence on various domains of QOLIE-10 questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis showed seizure frequency as a significant predictor of most QOL domains and overall score, while ADRs as a significant predictor of all the domains. Seizure type was a predictive factor for domains like emotional well-being and overall score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Present findings showed patients on monotherapy had better QOL while those having lower monthly income, having focal epilepsy and who received conventional AEDs had negative influence on QOL scores. Further, higher seizure frequency and occurrence of ADRs were significant predictors of all the domains of QOL in PWE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, St. John's Medical College and Hospital, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ranjana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, St. John's Medical College and Hospital, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dwajani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, St. John's Medical College and Hospital, Karnataka, India ; Department of Pharmacology, Sri Rajarajeshwari Medical College and Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Chanda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. John's Medical College and Hospital, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: G R K
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Sarma
keywords: Adverse drug reactions; antiepileptic drugs; epilepsy; monotherapy; polytherapy; quality of life