Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/4270

Title

A quantitative study of anxiety and depression symptoms in patients presenting to a first seizure clinic

Author(s)

D'Souza, Wendy;  Ghougassian, Daniel;  Moore, Susan M.;  O'Brien, Terence;  Panelli, Rosemary

Abstract

Elevated rates of anxiety and depression have been linked to epilepsy. However little is known about their incidence or severity in patients presenting with a suspected first seizure. This study measured anxiety and depression symptoms in patients referred to a First Seizure Clinic. METHODS: Patients presenting to the First Seizure Clinic of a large metropolitan hospital were offered enrolment in a prospective longitudinal Quality of Life study. Patients were predominantly referred from the hospital[rsquo]s Accident and Emergency Department. A self-administered baseline questionnaire, including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), was completed prior to the consultation. Patients were seen by an epileptologist who diagnosed the event as a seizure or a non-seizure according to the International League Against Epilepsy classification. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients completed the baseline questionnaire. Sixty-one percent were subsequently diagnosed as having had a seizure and 39% were diagnosed as having had a probable non-epileptic event, 46% of which were syncopal. Anxiety scores at HADS case level (11-21) were measured in 30% of non-seizure patients and 29% of seizure patients. Depression scores at HADS case level (11-21) were measured in 27% of non-seizure patients and 14% of seizure patients. The scores did not differ significantly between the seizure and the non-seizure groups for anxiety (p=0.763) or depression (p=0.065). CONCLUSIONS: The data indicates high levels of depression and anxiety in patients referred to a First Seizure Clinic, regardless of whether they are subsequently confirmed to have had a seizure. This has important implications for the psychosocial management of this patient group.

Publication type

Conference abstract

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. School of Social and Behavioural Sciences

Source

Poster presented at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 05-10 December 2003

Publication year

2003

Publisher

Blackwell Publishers

ISSN

0013-9580