Quality of life in paediatrics with intractable epilepsy in a large paediatric university hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Epilepsy is said to be intractable when two or more trials of anticonvulsants fail to control the seizures. Literature suggests that intractable epilepsy carries a higher morbidity than controlled epilepsy in children and their caregivers. The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life (QOL) in children with intractable epilepsy (IE) in KASCH, a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This is a cross-sectional study utilizing a self-administered questionnaire filled by caregivers of epileptic patients visiting the outpatient neurology clinics. The quality of life in childhood epilepsy (QOLCE-55) scale examined four domains of life: cognitive, emotional, social, and physical. The sample consisted of 59 parents whose children aged 4-14 of either sex. The collected data were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. The mean age of children was 8.9 (SD = 2.9). The mean QOL was 52.8 (SD = 12.9), which reflected a poor QOL. Age was not related to the QOL. Gender was significantly associated with the total and social scores, (<i>P</i> = 0.04) (<i>P</i> = 0.001), respectively. Out of all comorbidities, global developmental delay (GDD) and encephalopathy were significantly associated with the QOL (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Intractable epilepsy impacted all functioning domains of life rendering a poor QOL. Males have reported better QOL and social functioning compared to females. Children with GDD and encephalopathy showed lower well-being.