Factors associated with quality of life in active childhood epilepsy: a population-based study

Colin Reilly; Patricia Atkinson; Krishna B Das; Richard F M Chin; Sarah E Aylett; Victoria Burch; Christopher Gillberg; Rod C Scott; Brian G R Neville

doi:10.1016/j.ejpn.2014.12.022

Factors associated with quality of life in active childhood epilepsy: a population-based study

Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2015 May;19(3):308-13. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2014.12.022. Epub 2015 Jan 8.

Authors

Colin Reilly¹, Patricia Atkinson², Krishna B Das³, Richard F M Chin⁴, Sarah E Aylett⁵, Victoria Burch⁶, Christopher Gillberg⁷, Rod C Scott⁸, Brian G R Neville⁹

Affiliations

¹ 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.
² Child Development Centre, Crawley Hospital, West Green Drive, Crawley, RH11 7DH, West Sussex, UK.
³ 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.
⁴ Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Edinburgh Neurosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
⁵ 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.
⁶ Research Department, Young Epilepsy, Lingfield, Surrey, RH7 6PW, UK.
⁷ 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.
⁸ 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.
⁹ 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.

PMID: 25596900
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2014.12.022

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.

Keywords: Behaviour; Cognition; Epilepsy; Quality of life.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Child
Cognition Disorders / complications
Cognition Disorders / psychology
Epilepsy / complications*
Epilepsy / psychology*
Female
Humans
Male
Prospective Studies
Psychological Tests
Quality of Life / psychology*
Regression Analysis
Seizures / complications
Seizures / psychology