Abstracts

Rationale: Epilepsy often negatively impacts health-related quality of life (HRQL) components including emotional, physical and social well-being. This study compares health status in persons with self-reported epilepsy to a normative U.S. population and two benchmark disorders: diabetes and depression (depression is the primary disorder of focus). Methods: A mailed questionnaire was sent in February 2008 to a panel of 190,000 households selected to be representative of the U.S. population. An 11-item screening survey was completed by 98,148 adult respondents (52% survey response; assumes 1 respondent per household) who provided information on epilepsy and comorbidities based on self-reports of a medical diagnosis. Health status was also assessed using the Short-Form 36-item Health Survey, Version 2 (SF-36v2). This generic instrument is comprised of 8 scales reflecting functional health/well-being [Physical Functioning (PF), Role Physical (RP), Bodily Pain (BP), General Health (GH), Vitality (VT), Social Functioning (SF), Role Emotional (RE) and Mental Health (MH)]. These scales are aggregated into 2 component summary measures [Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS)]. A total of 73,202 individuals completed the SF-36v2. Health status scores for the epilepsy cohort were compared to U.S. general population norms as well as diabetes and depression populations using the responses to the 1998 National Survey of Functional Health Status. Analyses used norm-based scoring methods adjusting for the age and gender distribution of the epilepsy cohort. Scores from a subset of the epilepsy cohort considered to have active epilepsy (reported seizure or convulsion in the past 12-months) were compared to the U.S. population norm; the epilepsy cohort with self-reported depression was compared to the depression benchmark. Results: The total epilepsy cohort included 1,218 individuals (1.7%), of whom 457 (37.5%) reported active epilepsy and 402 (33.0%) reported depression. The total epilepsy cohort reported significantly lower functioning compared to U.S. population norms on all 8 scales as well as PCS and MCS measures of the SF-36v2 (P<0.0001). Persons with active epilepsy had poorer health status compared to population norms on all 8 scales and PCS and MCS (P<0.0001). The total epilepsy cohort’s scores were similar to diabetes in 7 of 8 scales (GH was worse for diabetes; P=0.0145) and both PCS and MCS (P>0.05). The total epilepsy cohort reported better scores than depression on 7 of 8 scales and MCS (P<0.05) but similar in PF and PCS (P>0.05). The epilepsy cohort with self-reported depression reported worse scores on 7 of 8 scales and PCS (P<0.005) and similar scores for MH and MCS (P>0.05) compared to the depression benchmark. Conclusions: These analyses highlight the burden of epilepsy on health status in individuals with self-reported epilepsy compared to other conditions and U.S. population norms. Further research is warranted to assess seizure status and epilepsy-related comorbidities on health status and HRQL. Support: Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs