Analyzing Quality of Life Discrepancies Between Elderly and Younger Populations with Epilepsy
Abstract number :
2.152
Submission category :
4. Clinical Epilepsy / 4D. Prognosis
Year :
2022
Submission ID :
2205106
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/4/2022 12:00:00 PM
Published date :
Nov 22, 2022, 05:28 AM
Authors :
Canaan Coker, MD – Rush University Medical Center; Sarah Kang, MD – Department of Neurological Sciences – Rush University Medical Center; Rebecca O'Dwyer, MD – Department of Neurological Sciences – Rush University Medical Center
Rationale: Despite common perceptions that epilepsy represents a disease of childhood, epidemiologic studies have repeatedly demonstrated that the incidence of epilepsy is actually highest amongst older individuals (age >65 years). Even so, literature detailing the physical and emotional impact of this diagnosis late in life when compared to young patients is particularly limited. Utilizing the Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QOLIE-31) questionnaire as a screening tool, we aimed to identify key areas of quality of life discrepancy between elderly and young epilepsy patients.
Methods: A total of 117 patients with established diagnoses of epilepsy who presented to the Epilepsy Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL were provided with the QOLIE-31 questionnaire upon arrival to the clinic between January 2018 and September 2021. Both overall and subsection (seizure worry, overall quality of life, emotional well-being, energy/fatigue, cognitive functioning, medication effects, and social functioning) scores from the questionnaires were calculated using formulas provided by the QOLIE-31 scoring manual. NDDI-E and GAD-7 were concomitantly collected and used to screen for depression and anxiety. Composite data was subsequently analyzed using JMP statistical software. Data was compared between patients age ≥65 (n = 69) and those age < 65 years (n = 48).
Results: The older group consisted of 36 females with an average age of 74±1.2 years; the younger group consisted of 29 females with an average of 47±1.49 years. The older group were on less anti-seizure medications (ASMs) than the younger group (1.4±0.1 vs. 1.9±0.1) p=0.0049. The overall quality of life was similar for both old and young groups, (T-scores 51±1.4 vs. 52±1.7). Likewise, both groups had similar moderately good emotional well-being (52±1.1 vs. 53±1.3), energy/fatigue (49±1.1 vs. 51±1.3), cognitive functioning (49±1.5 vs. 50±1.8), medication effects (54±1.4 vs. 52±1.6) and social functioning (51±1.2 vs. 48±1.5) scores. The older group were less worried about their seizures (57±1.3 vs. 48±1.6), p < 0.0001. Neither group screened positive for depression (11±0.5 vs. 11±0.7) nor anxiety (5.5±0.9 vs. 4.2±0.7).
Clinical Epilepsy