Prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with epilepsy attending the epilepsy clinic at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, UAE: A cross-sectional study

- Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in patients with epilepsy.
- The rates, patterns, and risk factors are not well studied in the Gulf countries region.
- 26% of 186 PWE were at twofold risk to have both disorders compared with controls.
- Depression and anxiety are highly and strongly correlated.
- Almost two-thirds of PWE with depression or anxiety were not prescribed antidepressant and antianxiety medications.

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in patients with epilepsy (PWE), with prevalence rates ranging from 20% to 55%. Unfortunately, the rates, patterns, and risk factors have not been well studied in the Middle East and, to our knowledge, have not been studied at all in the UAE. We screened 186 patients attending an epilepsy clinic using standardized screening tools to determine the rates of both depression and anxiety and compared these rates with that of age- and sex-matched controls. Almost one-third of our patients scored in the depression and anxiety ranges, which was significantly higher compared with the age- and sex-matched controls. Using a multiregression model, none of the studied variables were associated with an increased risk of having either disorder. Depression or anxiety symptoms independently and significantly increased the risk of association with the other disorder. Almost two-thirds of patients with depression and anxiety were not prescribed antidepressant or antianxiety medications.