Abstracts

RATIONALE: Although the association of depression and epilepsy is well known, the distribution of the severity of depressive symptons and the prevalence of suicidal ideation in the epilepsy population has not been thoroughly studied.
METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 166 consecutive epilepsy clinic patients who were able to answer questionnaires and consented to the study through a document approved by our IRB. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. Scores and demographic data were stored and analysed in a SPSS database.
RESULTS: Fourteen percent of patients had mild depressive mood (BDI score 11-16), and 22% had moderate to severe depression (BDI score [gt] 16). Eighteen patients (11%) reported that they had current thoughts of suicide, but would not. Two (1.2%) patients that they would kill themselves if given the chance (BDI item [pound]9); these patients were referred for immediate psychiatric care. There was no association of depressive symptoms or suicidal ideation with gender or age.
CONCLUSIONS: Significant depressive symptoms are present in over one third of patients in a large eplepsy clinic sample; nearly one fourth of patients meet criteria suggestive of major depression. One in 10 patients has active suicidal ideation, and 1-2% report that they plan to commit suicide. Depression appears to be a significant comorbid condition in epilepsy outpatients that warrants aggressive clinical assessment and intervention, as well as additional research in basic etiologic mechanisms and optimal interventions.
Support: A grant from Glaxo SmithKline.