Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Ituku-Ozalla, Nigeria.
Niger J Clin Pract. 2021 Apr;24(4):517-524. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_457_20.
Epilepsy, a chronic brain disorder, predisposes children to low Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL).
This study aimed at assessing the HRQOL in Nigerian children with epilepsy and compare it with that in healthy children.
A cross-sectional study of 166 children with epilepsy (CWE), aged 5-18 years on anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) for at least 6 months and 166 age and sex-matched apparently healthy children was conducted. A generic version of the Pediatric Quality of Life (Peds QoL version 4) scale was used to assess HRQOL.
There were significant differences in Quality-of-Life mean scores in the domains of social functioning, psychosocial combination, and psychosocial plus physical activities between cases and controls. The school function scores of <50, indicating low QOL, were significantly more (Chi square = 35.37) (P = 0.0001) among the cases (32.5%) compared to the controls (6.3%). Similarly, low quality of life in the psychosocial combination were observed significantly (P_ = 0.042) more among the cases (12.7%) compared to the controls (6.3%). Low quality of life in emotional feeling domain were noted significantly (Chi square = 12.9) (P = 0.0002) more in subjects aged between 8 and 12 (20%). QOL scores of below 50 in the social function domain were observed significantly (Chi square = 6.49) (P = 0.039) more in subjects aged between 5 and 7 years (44.8%). There was significant gender difference in Quality-of-life index in school functioning domain in subjects. (Chi Square = 6.49) (P value = 0.039). Children in the upper social class scored higher in the social functioning domain, and social class was significantly associated with scores in the social domain of functioning. (F = 3.75 and P = 0.03). QOL scores below 50 in the emotional domain were significantly more among subjects aged 8-12 years/13-18 year, s and QOL scores of <50 in the school function domain were significantly more in subjects aged 5-7 years. (P = 0.0002) (P = 0.039), respectively.
HRQOL is reduced in CWE in all domains of Peds QoL. Significant predictors of reduced HRQOL include age, gender, and socioeconomic class. Beyond seizure control, epilepsy management should be oriented towards ensuring the optimal health-related quality of life.
癫痫是一种慢性脑部疾病，使儿童的健康相关生活质量（HRQOL）降低。
本研究旨在评估尼日利亚癫痫儿童的 HRQOL，并将其与健康儿童进行比较。
对 166 名年龄在 5-18 岁、正在服用抗癫痫药物（AED）至少 6 个月的癫痫儿童（CWE）和 166 名年龄和性别匹配的健康儿童进行了横断面研究。使用儿童生活质量普适性量表（Peds QoL 第四版）评估 HRQOL。
病例组和对照组在社会功能、心理社会综合和心理社会加身体活动领域的生活质量平均得分存在显著差异。病例组（32.5%）的<50 分（表明生活质量较低）的学校功能评分明显更高（卡方=35.37）（P=0.0001），而对照组（6.3%）则较低。同样，心理社会综合领域的生活质量较低也明显更多（P=0.042），病例组（12.7%）比对照组（6.3%）更高。在情绪感受领域，8-12 岁的受试者中（20%）显著注意到（卡方=12.9）（P=0.0002）生活质量较低。在社会功能领域，<50 分的 QOL 评分在 5-7 岁年龄组（44.8%）中明显更高（卡方=6.49）（P=0.039）。在社会功能领域，受试者的性别差异与 QOL 评分显著相关（卡方=6.49）（P 值=0.039）。社会阶层较高的儿童在社会功能领域的评分较高，社会阶层与社会功能领域的评分显著相关。（F=3.75，P=0.03）。在 8-12 岁/13-18 岁年龄组中，情绪领域的 QOL 评分<50 分的受试者明显更多，在 5-7 岁年龄组中，学校功能领域的 QOL 评分<50 分的受试者明显更多（P=0.0002）（P=0.039）。
所有 Peds QoL 领域的 CWE 都降低了 HRQOL。HRQOL 降低的显著预测因素包括年龄、性别和社会经济阶层。除了控制癫痫发作外，还应针对癫痫管理，确保最佳的健康相关生活质量。
