Seizure Severity and Health-Related Quality of Life of Adult Ugandan Patients With Epilepsy
Abstract number :
2.122
Submission category :
4. Clinical Epilepsy / 4B. Clinical Diagnosis
Year :
2018
Submission ID :
501941
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/2/2018 4:04:48 PM
Published date :
Nov 5, 2018, 18:00 PM
Authors :
Mark Kaddumukasa, Makerere University; Martin N. Kaddumukasa, Makerere University; Carol Blixen, Neurological and Behavioral Outcome Center, University Hospitals; Nelson Sewankambo, Makerere University; Samden D. Lhatoo, University Hospitals, Case Western
Rationale: There is paucity of information about the association of seizure severity and quality of life in people with epilepsy (PWE) in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated the relationship of seizure severity to health-related quality of life of patients with epilepsy being followed up in an outpatient neurology clinic in urban central Uganda Methods: 48 consecutive patients with epilepsy who met the inclusion were enrolled into the study. The study questionnaire comprised of the Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale, the Quality of Life Inventory in Epilepsy (QOLIE-31), and the Epilepsy Stigma scale. Results: The median age of the study participants was 25 years, with median age (IQR) of epilepsy onset was 12 (6-18) years. Over 57.4% of the study participants were unemployed. The mean (SD) QOLIE-31 was 62.5 + 14.5. The mean (SD) LSSS was 62.4+ 1.6. There was no gender difference in the seizure severity scores (P = 0.451). Seizure worry subscale remained significant on regression; (P-value = 0.003, R2 = 0.31, 95% CI = -1.62 to – 0.32) Conclusions: Reducing seizure severity in Uganda is an ultimate endpoint in epilepsy care, however, various strategies need to be put in place to achieve this. Severe severity still remains very high and unacceptable. Funding: The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes Health (K43TW010401 NINDS and Fogarty International Center (FIC) to Mark Kaddumukasa.