Health Related Quality of Life in Egyptian Children and Adolescents with Epilepsy

Abstract

Background: Childhood epilepsy is one of the most significant and prevalent neurological condition in the developing years. The aim of the study was to explore the current status of health related quality of life (HR-QOL) in Egyptian children and adolescents with epilepsy using (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire.

Patients and Methods: This case control study was carried out in Pediatric Neurology Unit and Outpatient Clinic in Department of Pediatrics  at Zagazig University Children's Hospital on 110 children, divided into 2 groups, case group included 55 children with epilepsy and control group included 55 apparently healthy children without epilepsy of matched age, sex and social class. All the children were subjected to history taking, clinical examination and assessment of QOL.

Results: There was a significant decrease in all domains and total score of WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire in the case group. There was a significant  –ve correlation between age and psychological domain score, also between number of school failure  and both psychological and environmental  domain. Disease duration and treatment duration were negatively significantly correlated with all QOL domains. A significant +ve correlation was  found between social class score and  both general and environmental domain. There was a significant decrease in general and environmental  domain score  between cases with generalized and partial seizers compared to cases with absent seizers.

Conclusion: Diminished  QOL is common in children with epilepsy than other children. Patients with epilepsy had lower mean scores of all domains of QOL, especially those with frequent fits, those with long duration, and in patients with generalized fits.