Comparison of Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Patients with Newly Diagnosed and Medically Refractory Focal Epilepsy
Abstract number :
1.387
Submission category :
6. Cormorbidity (Somatic and Psychiatric)
Year :
2024
Submission ID :
1161
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/7/2024 12:00:00 AM
Published date :
Authors :
Presenting Author: Sarah Levy, MD – New York University
Cameryn Freglette, MA – NYU Langone Health
Hamada Altalib, DO, MPH – Yale University School of Medicine
Andres Kanner, MD – Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami
Jacqueline French, MD – New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
Rationale: Mood and anxiety disorders are common in patients with epilepsy and are associated with poor quality of life, worse tolerance of antiseizure medications, and decreased likelihood of seizure freedom. The frequency of the types of disorders in patients with epilepsy is less understood. The primary aim of this observational study was to compare the prevalence and types of mood and anxiety disorders in patients with newly diagnosed focal epilepsy to patients with refractory focal epilepsy.
Methods: Prospective data from the Human Epilepsy Project (HEP) were analyzed to compare the prevalence and types of mood and anxiety disorders between patients with newly diagnosed (HEP 1, N=347) and refractory focal epilepsy (HEP 2, N=147) by using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Statistical analyses included chi-square tests.
Results: Five major diagnostic categories of mood and anxiety disorders were identified based on data obtained from the MINI: major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BPD), anxiety disorder, MDD plus anxiety disorder(s), and BPD plus anxiety disorder(s), see Table 1. The total number of patients with at least one mood and/or anxiety disorder was greater in those with medically refractory focal epilepsy (54.4%) compared to newly diagnosed focal epilepsy (43.5%), χ2 = 4.93, p = 0.026. The total number of patients with comorbid mood and anxiety disorders was also greater in patients with medically refractory epilepsy (26.5% versus 12.4%, χ2 = 14.9, p = 0.000).
Conclusions: This study found high rates of comorbid mood and anxiety disorders in patients with epilepsy. However, these prevalence rates were significantly higher among patients with treatment-resistant focal epilepsy. These results reinforce the importance of routine assessment for psychiatric disorders in epilepsy clinics, in both newly diagnosed and medically refractory focal epilepsy patients. Patients with more complex psychiatric profiles require more specialized mental health care, including further diagnostic evaluation, potential pharmacological interventions, and social support.
Funding: Supported by The Epilepsy Study Consortium (ESCI), a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the development of new therapies in epilepsy to improve patient care. The funding provided to ESCI to support HEP comes from industry, philanthropy and foundations (UCB Pharma, Finding A Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures, Pfizer, Lundbeck, The Andrews Foundation, Friends of Faces and others.
Cormorbidity (Somatic and Psychiatric)