TY - JOUR
T1 - Perceived impact of childhood-onset epilepsy on quality of life as an adult
AU - Sillanpää, Matti
AU - Haataja, Leena
AU - Shinnar, Shlomo
PY - 2004/8
Y1 - 2004/8
N2 - Purpose: Childhood-onset epilepsy is a common disorder. The long-term impact of having childhood epilepsy on quality of life (QOL) as an adult, whether or not seizures are in remission, has not been systematically studied. Methods: A population-based cohort of 245 children younger than 16 years with active epilepsy between 1961 and 1964 residing in the catchment area of Turku University Hospital was followed up prospectively until 1997. Of the 99 surviving cases with uncomplicated epilepsy and 99 matched population controls, 91 subjects and controls completed questionnaires on QOL and psychosocial outcomes. Results: Of the 91 subjects, 61 (67%) were in remission off medication, 13 (14%) in remission on medications, and 17 (19%) were not in remission. Subjects on medication, whether in remission or not, had worse scores on both general measures of QOL and epilepsy-specific measures than did either controls or subjects in remission off medications. They also had significantly higher rates of unemployment (p < 0.001) and lower socioeconomic status. These differences could not be accounted for by differences in education or seizure frequency. Subjects in remission off medication had rates of employment and socioeconomic status similar to those of controls. All subjects, regardless of remission status, had lower rates of marriage and of having children than did controls (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Childhood-onset epilepsy has a persistent longterm adverse impact on health-related quality of life. The major impact is on those still on medications as adults, whether or not they are in remission. The impact on those in remission off medications is relatively modest.
AB - Purpose: Childhood-onset epilepsy is a common disorder. The long-term impact of having childhood epilepsy on quality of life (QOL) as an adult, whether or not seizures are in remission, has not been systematically studied. Methods: A population-based cohort of 245 children younger than 16 years with active epilepsy between 1961 and 1964 residing in the catchment area of Turku University Hospital was followed up prospectively until 1997. Of the 99 surviving cases with uncomplicated epilepsy and 99 matched population controls, 91 subjects and controls completed questionnaires on QOL and psychosocial outcomes. Results: Of the 91 subjects, 61 (67%) were in remission off medication, 13 (14%) in remission on medications, and 17 (19%) were not in remission. Subjects on medication, whether in remission or not, had worse scores on both general measures of QOL and epilepsy-specific measures than did either controls or subjects in remission off medications. They also had significantly higher rates of unemployment (p < 0.001) and lower socioeconomic status. These differences could not be accounted for by differences in education or seizure frequency. Subjects in remission off medication had rates of employment and socioeconomic status similar to those of controls. All subjects, regardless of remission status, had lower rates of marriage and of having children than did controls (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Childhood-onset epilepsy has a persistent longterm adverse impact on health-related quality of life. The major impact is on those still on medications as adults, whether or not they are in remission. The impact on those in remission off medications is relatively modest.
KW - Childhood onset
KW - Epilepsy
KW - Quality of life
KW - Social outcomes
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U2 - 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2004.44203.x
DO - 10.1111/j.0013-9580.2004.44203.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15270765
AN - SCOPUS:4043179206
SN - 0013-9580
VL - 45
SP - 971
EP - 977
JO - Epilepsia
JF - Epilepsia
IS - 8
ER -