A STUDY OF SEIZURE RELATED VARIABLES IN EPILEPTIC PATIENTS WITH ANXIETY

BackgroundPsychiatric illness especially mood disorders(eg. depression,anxiety) are a common comorbidity in epilepsy. Like depression, anxiety also exerts a profound negative effect on healthrelated quality of life in epileptic patients. Several issues, however, pertaining to their association with psychosocial, seizure-related and medication factors, remain controversial. Accordingly, the present study was designed to investigate the association of interictal anxiety disorder with various demographic and seizure-related variables in patients with newly-diagnosed and chronic epilepsy.ObjectivesTo study anxiety, in association with demographic and seizure related variables in epileptic patients.MethodsWe investigated 50 patients suffering from epilepsy, at Madras Institute of Neurology during the period from 1.1.2011 to 31.3.2011.The study included the patients, both in epilepsy clinic(OP) and in neurologywards (IP).Anxiety was assessed in the interictal state with the Hamilton anxiety rating scale(HAMA),which consists of 14 item questionnaire. The association of anxiety disorders with various variables was investigated with simple and multiple linear regression analyses.ResultsHigh seizure frequency ,female gender,duration from onset were determinants of anxiety.85.7 of female patients had anxiety as compared to 72.7 in males.84.6 of the inpatients (who have high seizure frequency,focal symptomatic seizures) had anxiety, especially severe grading in HAMA rating score. ConclusionOur results confirm the prevailing view, that anxiety is a common psychological disorder in epileptics. It is additionally concluded that, female gender, high seizure frequency,new onset focal symptomatic seizures are independent risk factors for the development of anxiety .