A STUDY ON THE SLEEP QUALITY IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY AND THEIR CO-SLEEPING FAMILY MEMBERS

Caregiver burden and disturbed sleep in patients with epilepsy (PWE) has been well established. Recent studies show that pediatric epilepsy significantly impacts sleep patterns for the child as well as the parents. Very few studies describe the sleep quality of family members of adult patients with epilepsy. Our study aimed to assess the sleep quality in cosleeping family members of adult patients with epilepsy. This observational study was conducted at the Institute of Neurology, Madras Medical College, Chennai on patients with epilepsy attending the Neurology outpatient services. Demographic details were recorded and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was administered to the patients as well as their co-sleeping family members. To assess impact on the sleep of their children, Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children (SDSC) was used. We included 64 PWE (male-30, female-34) with mean age of 28.07 years (range-13 to 55). The mean duration of epilepsy was 6.92 years. 41 patients (64.06 per cent) coslept with their family members in the same bed, 19 (29.68 per cent) slept in the same room and the rest slept alone. 17 (26.56 per cent) had co -sleeping children in the same room or bed whose SDSC showed mean T-scores of 59.94. Twenty seven patients (42.18 per cent) showed decreased sleep quality with PSQI scores more than 5. Interestingly, 58.33 per cent of the co-sleepers had PSQI scores more than 5, which however when compared with patients with epilepsy was not statistically significant. The proximity of the epileptic patient to the co-sleeper during sleep time did not show any statistical significance. Significant disturbances in sleep quality of PWE and their co-sleeping family members have been noted and may be an important issue to be addressed while managing patients with epilepsy and their family.