Quality of Life and Related Factors in Adult Patients with Epilepsy in China

Objective: The objective of this work was to study the quality of life (QOL) of adult patients with epilepsy in northern China.

Methods: Three hundred three adult patients with epilepsy were identified using a strict procedure of diagnosis at the outpatient clinic of the epilepsy center, and then their QOL was evaluated with the Chinese version of the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-89.

Results: QOLIE-89 total score and many of the subscale scores were decreased. The greatest decreases were observed in the Seizure Worry and Medication Effects subscale scores. QOLIE-89 total scores of married patients (57.1±15.3) were lower than those of unmarried patients (70.9±15.7) (P<0.001). Correlation analysis revealed that QOLIE-89 total score was negatively correlated with age, course of disease, seizure severity, antiepileptic drug, type of seizure, and seizure frequency (r=-0.334, -0.281, -0.424, -0.117, -0.145, and -0.274 respectively, P<0.01), and was positively correlated with educational level and economic status (r=0.245 and 0.328 respectively, P<0.01). Multiregression analysis revealed that five factors entered the regression equation: age (β=-0.545, P=0.001), course of disease (β=-0.311, P=0.001), seizure severity (β=-10.014, P=0.001), educational level (β=3.274, P=0.002), and economic status (β=6.431, P=0.001).

Conclusion: Quality of life of adult patients with epilepsy decreases with older age, more difficult course of disease, and higher seizure frequency. Higher educational level and economic status are protective factors in the QOL of adult patients.