Study On Quality Of Life In Children With Epilepsy In China

PartⅠObjective:To assess the characteristic and influencing factors of quality of life (QOL) in Chinese children with epilepsy.Methods:QOL of children with epilepsy(n=163) in the outpatient of Children's Hospital of Fudan University during June 2007 to December 2007 were evaluated, and healthy children(n=167)(matched with sex,age,education) were studied as control.Side effect profile(SEP),quality of life in people with epilepsy-adolescent-48(QOLIE-AD-48),self-rating anxiety scale(SAS),self-rating Depression Scale(SDS) were used to assess the QOL of all children.Results:The average age of patients was 12,the median age of onset and disease course were 6 and 8.1±3.5 years old respectively.The main type of attack is Generalized tonic spasm attack(53.9%).41.7%patients were seizure free for more than one year.Idiopathy epilepsy account for 69.9%.The duration of attack was one minute to five minutes in 54.6%patients.93.9%patients had received AEDs,6.1% had not yet received AEDs.73.6%patients received one AED,and 4.9%children received three AEDs.The most common used AED is VPA(65.5%).The other AEDs were CBZ(11.2%),Topiramate(8%),Oxcarbazepine(6%),Chlorine Nitrazepam(4.5%) respectively.74.8%patients had good compliance.The common side effects in children with epilepsy were concentration deficit,memory dysfunction,tiredness, headache,giddify,sleepiness,nervous,combativeness,fidget,depression and stomache upset.The QOL impairment in children with epilepsy were extensive (P＜0.01).The scores and incidence of SAS and SDS in epilepsy group were significantly higher than those of control group(P＜0.01).Stigma is unique in children with epilepsy.Multiple factors analyses indicated that the type of attack,onset age, course of disease,the type of medication,side effects of antiepileptic drugs,anxiety, depression and stigma were correlated with QOL(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The QOL impairment in children with epilepsy were extensive.The type of attack(mainly GTCS),course of disease,the type of medication,side effects of antiepileptic drugs,anxiety,depression and stigma in children with epilepsy were important factors in QOL. PartⅡObjective:To compare the quality of life(QOL) in adolescents with epilepsy and asthma.Methods:QOL of children with epilepsy(n=85),healthy children(n=87) and children with asthma(n=81)(matched with sex,age,education) as control in the outpatient of Children's Hospital of Fudan University during June 2007 to December 2007 were evaluated.SF-36(The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey) was included in QOL assessment.Results:The onset age,disease course and the frequency of attacks had no difference in epilepsy group and asthma group(P＞0.05).All the patients received mainly one drug,and more than 50%patients never forgot the medication.The number of drug and medication compliance had no difference in both group(P＞0.05). 57.6%epilepsy patients were seizure free for more than one year.50.6%asthma patients were without attack,the largest peak expiratory flow(PEF) always kept above 80%.Another 10.6%and 19.7%of children with epilepsy and asthma in children had at least once attack each year.The QOL of children with epilepsy were lower than that in normal children(P＜0.01),and much more serious than children with asthma.The emotion function and mental health in epilepsy group was much poorer than those in asthma group.Psychological barriers in children with epilepsy were persistent regardless the seizure frequency.Conclusion:SF-36 scale can evaluate the QOL of chronic paroxysmal disorders. The QOL of chronic paroxysmal disorders such as epilepsy and asthma should be a high degree of clinical concern and assess the state of the disease as an important indicator.