Children with epilepsy demonstrate improved overall quality of life, despite no significant changes in cognitive or psychologic functioning postsurgery, researchers report.
SAN ANTONIO—Pediatric patients with good seizure outcomes experienced favorable changes in overall quality of life after epileptic surgery, according to research presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society.
Jeffrey B. Titus, PhD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues analyzed 28 Caucasian children (54% male) who had undergone epilepsy surgery. The mean age at the time of surgery was 12.7, and the mean postsurgical follow-up was 12 months. Outcome measures included the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy, Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, and Behavior Assessment System for Children–Second Edition: Parent Rating Scale.
Fewer Physical Restrictions and Behavioral Issues
“Improvements in quality of life are specifically apparent in children’s social functioning, behavior, and engagement in physical activities,” stated Dr. Titus. “After surgery, children in our sample had fewer physical restrictions and were engaged in more social activities. They were also rated as being happier, with fewer behavioral concerns and less social stigma from epilepsy.”
The changes in quality of life were observed, even though the children had no significant changes in cognitive or psychologic functioning after surgery, noted the investigators.
“This suggests that quality of life can improve even if cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning does not change,” Dr. Titus and colleagues concluded. “It also suggests that, even if parents are reporting improvements in quality of life, clinicians should be aware that children may continue to need support for their cognitive and psychologic functioning after surgery.”
—Colby Stong