The effect of seizure severity on quality of life in epilepsy

Seizure severity is an important aspect of epilepsy. The relationship between seizure severity and quality of life in epilepsy, however, has been incompletely explored. With a data set of 118 women from the baseline phase of a clinical treatment trial, the relationship between seizure severity and aspects of quality of life was evaluated. Two domains of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31) correlated highly significantly with seizure severity: Seizure Worry (r = −0.265, P = .004) and Social Functioning (r = −0.280, P = 0.002). Two additional domains were significantly correlated: Overall Quality of Life (r = −0.210, P = 0.023) and Cognitive (r = −0.209, P = 0.024). When the potentially confounding effect of depression, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, was controlled for, the regression of seizure severity with QOLIE-31 Seizure Worry remained significant (P = 0.006, R2 = 0.153), as did the regression with QOLIE-31 Social Functioning (P = 0.002, R2 = 0.184) and the regression with QOLIE-31 Cognitive (P = 0.037, R2 = 0.30). These findings indicate that severe and potentially injurious seizure behaviors contribute to anxiety and socially avoidant behavior for persons with intractable epilepsy.