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DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1694890
Clinicodemographic Determinants of Quality of Life of Patients with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
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Publication History
Publication Date:
31 July 2019 (online)
Background: Available literature on quality of life (QoL) and its clinicodemographic determinants in patients with epilepsy is on heterogeneous populations of patients. Patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) have a distinct clinicodemographic profile. We present our observations on clinicodemographic determinants of QoL in patients with JME.
Objective: To determine the quality of life and estimate the effect of clinicodemographic variables on quality of life of patient with JME.
Methods: Sixty patients with JME diagnosed as per standard clinicoelectroencephalographic criteria and aged ≥ 18 years were recruited by consecutive sampling method. Demographic details were recorded and QoL, quality of sleep, severity of depressive, and anxiety-related symptomatology were determined using quality of life in epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31) questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (pSQI), Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Rated (IDS-SR), and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the demographic factors and clinical factors including epilepsy-related variables, sleep quality, depression, and anxiety was done.
Results: Our study population comprising 45 females and 15 males had mean age (±SD) of 23.55 years (±5.55 years). Two-thirds of patients had mild to very severe depression. Majority (44 patients) of the patients had mild anxiety and poor quality of sleep. QOLIE-31 score was higher among males, those with education level above 12th standard and belonging to middle and upper socioeconomic groups. Patients with myoclonic seizures alone had better quality of life compared with patients with GTCS-absence semiology (p < 0.05). QoL negatively correlated with severity of depressive and anxiety symptomatology and quality of sleep. Statistically significant correlation between duration of medication and per capita income with severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms was observed. Multivariate analysis did not show any significant correlation of demographic and clinical factors with QoL.
Conclusion: Clinicodemographic factors intricately affect quality of life in patients with JME. Poor socioeconomic class and presence of comorbid depression, anxiety, and poor sleep quality are associated with poorer quality of life among patients with JME.