Anxiety symptoms are the strongest predictor of quality of life in temporal lobe epilepsy. (May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lima, Ellen Marise; Gois, Juliana; Paiva, Maria Luisa; Vincentiis, Silvia; Moschetta, Sylvie; Valente, Kette Dualibi Ramos
• Is Part Of: Seizure. Volume 88(2021)
• Page Start: 78
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2021-05
• Subjects: Depressive symptoms -- Anxiety symptoms -- Temporal lobe epilepsy -- Quality of life -- Neuropsychiatry; Epilepsy -- Periodicals; Epilepsy -- Periodicals; Seizures -- Periodicals; Épilepsie -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; Electronic journals; 616.853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2021.03.021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1059-1311

Abstract

Highlights: Persons with TLE-HS had greater odds of presenting SDE and SAE than the controls The odds of presenting SAE were greater than SDE in persons with TLE-HS Anxiety and depressive symptoms, even without the criteria for DSM diagnosis, impacted on the QOL The anxiety and depressive symptoms were strongest predictors of QOL in TLE-HS Anxiety-trait symptoms are the most critical individual determinant of the QOL Abstract: Purpose: It is established that the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms is associated with poorer quality of life (QOL) in persons with drug-resistant epilepsy. We aimed to verify the presence of subsyndromic depressive episodes (SDEs) and subsyndromic anxiety episodes (SAEs) in persons with temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS) compared to healthy controls and to determine the impact of depressive and anxiety symptoms on patients' QOL. Methods: We prospectively evaluated 35 persons with TLE-HS and 90 healthy controls. QOL was assessed by the Epilepsy Surgery Inventory (ESI) and QOL in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-X) were used to assess symptoms, and SDEs and SAEs diagnosis were made considering the total scores of BDI (<9) and STAI-Trait (<49), respectively. Results: Persons with TLE-HS had higher symptoms on BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T. They have 3.011 greater odds of presenting SDEs and 7.056 times odds, SAEs. The depressive and anxiety symptoms, added in the model with epilepsy-related factors, accounted for a significant increase in the variance in several aspects of QOL. Anxiety-trait symptoms are the most critical individual determinant of the QOL. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that persons with TLE-HS had greater odds of presenting SDE and SAE than healthy controls. Besides, there was a relationship between anxiety and depressive symptoms and worse QOL in TLE-HS. It is essential to be aware of psychiatric symptoms, even though these symptoms do not meet the criteria to be considered a "disorder."