title: Factors associated with quality of life in active childhood epilepsy: a population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL), rather than just reducing seizures, should be the principal goal in comprehensive management of childhood epilepsy. There is a lack of population-based data on predictors of HRQOL in childhood epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Children with Epilepsy in Sussex Schools (CHESS) study is a prospective, population-based study involving school-aged children (5-15 years) with active epilepsy (on one or more AED and/or had a seizure in the last year) in a defined geographical area in the UK. Eighty-five of 115 (74% of eligible population) children underwent comprehensive psychological assessment including measures of cognition, behaviour, and motor functioning. Parents of the children completed the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE).Clinical data on eligible children was extracted using a standardised pro forma. Linear regression analysis was undertaken to identify factors significantly associated with total Quality of Life in this population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Factors independently significantly associated (p < .05) with total QOLCE scores were seizures before 24 months, cognitive impairment (IQ < 85), anxiety, and parent reported school attendance difficulty. These factors were also significantly associated with total QOLCE when children with IQ < 50 were excluded from analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of factors associated with parent reported HRQOL in active childhood epilepsy are related to neurobehavioural and/or psychosocial aspects of the condition.
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6PW, UK; Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Kungsgatan 12, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: creilly@youngepilepsy.org.uk.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.affiliation: Child Development Centre, Crawley Hospital, West Green Drive, Crawley, RH11 7DH, West Sussex, UK.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6PW, UK; Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 4/5 Long Yard, London, WC1N 3LU, UK; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH, UK.
authors.forename: Krishna B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Edinburgh Neurosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Richard F M
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 4/5 Long Yard, London, WC1N 3LU, UK; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Aylett
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6PW, UK.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Burch
authors.affiliation: Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Kungsgatan 12, Gothenburg, Sweden; Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 4/5 Long Yard, London, WC1N 3LU, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gillberg
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA; Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 4/5 Long Yard, London, WC1N 3LU, UK; Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH, UK.
authors.forename: Rod C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6PW, UK; Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 4/5 Long Yard, London, WC1N 3LU, UK.
authors.forename: Brian G R
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Neville
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Behaviour; Cognition; Epilepsy; Quality of life