Changes in seizure severity and quality of life in patients with refractory partial epilepsy

This 6-month observational, prospective, multicenter study assessed the influence of changes in seizure severity on quality of life in patients with refractory partial epilepsy. Patients (N = 262) diagnosed with partial epilepsy and receiving two antiepileptic drugs as determined by usual clinical practice were enrolled in this study. The primary endpoint was the mean seizure severity score obtained from the Seizure Severity Questionnaire. Reductions in seizure severity were detected from baseline to months 3 and 6 (P < 0.0001). Improvements compared with baseline were found for several secondary measures: Hamilton Anxiety and Depression scales (P < 0.0001), most Medical Outcomes Study—Sleep subscales (P < 0.05), and seven subscales of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31; P < 0.0005). Seizure severity correlated directly with anxiety (P < 0.0001) and inversely with QOLIE-31 measures (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, reducing seizure severity with appropriate medication may lead to improvement in the overall quality of life of patients with refractory partial epilepsy.

Research Highlights
► This study was undertaken to evaluate, in daily clinical practice, the evolution of seizure severity and the impact on the quality of life in patients with refractory partial epilepsy. We found strong correlations between seizure severity and poorer reports on several quality-of-life measures in patients with refractory partial epilepsy receiving AEDs as determined by clinical practice. Particularly, we have shown that seizure severity directly correlates with psychic anxiety and worrying about recurrent seizures, while there is an inverse relationship for seizure severity with quality of life.