Clinical Characteristics and Quality of Life in Patients with Epilepsy

Abstract

Objective: To identify the clinical characteristics and quality of life of patients with epilepsy. Methods: Prospective, descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study carried out in the Family Medicine Unit number 66 of the Mexican Social Security Institute Xalapa, Veracruz. México. Through a calculated sample and under non-probabilistic quota sampling; with prior informed consent, an interview was conducted for sociodemographic characteristics and the QOLIE-31 questionnaire (Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 with Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.9). Measures of central tendency, dispersion, absolute and relative frequencies were used, Results: 180 patients were included, 90 men and 90 women, average age 46 years, with poor quality of life (86%), with greater concern about seizures in women (p=0.0260), in those with more frequent seizures (p=0.0012) and with two or more medications (p=0.0051); with affectation of cognitive functions in patients with more frequent seizures (p=0.0124) and with two or more medications (p=0.0213). Conclusions: 86% of patients had poor quality of life, without differences by sex, age, duration or type of epilepsy.