Suicidality and Its Risk Factors in Korean People with Epilepsy: A MEPSY Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: People with epilepsy (PWE) are more likely to experience suicidality, with suicidal ideation and attempts, than people without epilepsy (PWoE). The aims of the present study were to determine 1) the characteristics of suicidality in Korean PWE, 2) whether PWE with suicidality receive psychiatric intervention, and 3) the risk factors for suicidality. METHODS: Patients who consecutively visited epilepsy clinics at secondary- and tertiary-care hospitals were recruited (n=684), along with age- and sex-matched PWoE (n=229). The presence of current major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and/or suicidality was established using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus Version 5.0.0. The Korean version of the Liverpool Adverse Events Profile (K-LAEP) was applied to detect adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). RESULTS: Suicidality was present in 208 (30.4%) of the 684 PWE. The rate of suicidality was 4.6 times higher among PWE than PWoE, and 108 (15.7%) PWE had suicidal ideation and had attempted suicide. Among those who had attempted suicide, 40.7% had made at least two attempts. The most common method of suicide attempt was drug overdose (34.9%). Unfortunately, of the 208 PWE with suicidality, 136 (65.4%) did not receive psychiatric intervention. The risk factors for suicidality were MDD [odds ratio (OR)=6.448, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.739-11.120, p<0.001], GAD (OR=3.561, 95% CI=1.966-6.452, p<0.001), item scores of 3 or 4 on the K-LAEP (OR=2.688, 95% CI=1.647-4.387, p<0.001), and a history of febrile convulsion (OR= 2.188, 95% CI=1.318-3.632, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality is more prevalent in PWE than in PWoE. Clinicians should monitor psychiatric disorders and the adverse effects of AEDs in PWE in an attempt to reduce the incidence of suicidal ideation or suicide attempts in this patient population.

Hyperventilation Induced Syncope: Differential Feature of Head-up Tilt Table Test with Transcranial Doppler in Patient with Hyperventilation Syndrome from True Syncope

The causes of a transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) are divided into syncope, epileptic seizures, cerebrovascular diseases and functional disorders such as hyperventilation (HV) syndrome, psychogenic pseudosyncope. The differential diagnosis of TLOC is may be difficult due to lack of history, misleading features, or confusion over the definition of syncope. We have experienced a rare case of HV syncope that TLOC developed after HV from mental stress, and differentiated by head-up tilt table test with transcranial doppler.

Comparison of Quality of Life in Patients With Epilepsy Taking Zonisamide or Topiramate: Before and After Treatment

BACKGROUND: Patients with epilepsy experience impairments in their quality of life (QOL). The objective of this study was to determine the influences of clinical factors on QOL and to compare QOL before and after antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment. METHODS: A cohort of 79 patients with epilepsy (43 male and 36 female) was recruited for this prospective study. The Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QOLIE)-31 survey was applied to evaluate QOL. The QOLIE-31 questionnaire was completed by the subjects before and 24 weeks after AED monotherapy (zonisamide or topiramate). The relationships of demographic, social, and clinical factors with QOL were evaluated. RESULTS: There was a negative correlation between seizure frequency and QOL in patients with epilepsy (p<0.05). The scores of patients without adverse effect were significantly higher for the seizure worry item of the QOLIE-31 questionnaire at 24 weeks compared to baseline (p<0.05). No other significant differences were found for any of the other QOLIE-31 items. CONCLUSIONS: Age, sex, seizure frequency, AED treatment, and AED adverse effects were significant clinical factors affecting QOL in patients with epilepsy. It is suggested that the physician should recognize these factors and manage them appropriately to improve the QOL of patients with epilepsy.

Psychiatric Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients with Drug-Refractory Epilepsy Receiving Adjunctive Levetiracetam Therapy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Levetiracetam (LEV) is a new antiepileptic drug that has been found to be effective as an adjunctive therapy for uncontrolled partial seizures. However, the results of several studies suggested that LEV has negative psychotropic effects, including irritability, aggressiveness, suicidality, and mood disorders. We investigated the impact of adjunctive LEV on psychiatric symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in patients with drug-refractory epilepsy (DRE) and determined the risk factors provoking psychiatric adverse events. METHODS: A 24-week, prospective, open-label study was conducted. At enrollment, we interviewed patients and reviewed their medical charts to collect demographic and clinical information. They were asked to complete self-report health questionnaires designed to measure various psychiatric symptoms and QOL at enrollment and 24 weeks later. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients were included in the study, 12 patients (16.9%) of whom discontinued LEV therapy due to serious adverse events including suicidality. The risk factor for premature withdrawal was a previous history of psychiatric diseases (odds ratio 4.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-17.32). LEV intake resulted in significant improvements in Beck Anxiety Inventory score (p<0.01) and some domains of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, such as somatization (p<0.05), obsessive-compulsiveness (p<0.05), depression (p<0.05), and anxiety (p<0.05). These improvements were not related to the occurrence of seizure freedom. The Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 overall score and subscale scores, such as seizure worry (p<0.01), overall QOL (p<0.05), emotional well-being (p<0.05), energy-fatigue (p<0.05), and social function (p<0.05), also improved. CONCLUSIONS: Adjunctive LEV in patients with DRE is likely to improve psychiatric symptoms and QOL. Clinicians should be well aware of the psychiatric histories of patients to prevent them from developing serious adverse events related to LEV.

Premature Reversal Caloric Nystagmus in a Patient withMedulloblastoma, Originated from the 4th Ventricle

Some individuals may demonstrate a secondary phase nystagmus (SPN) following the caloric irrigation. It has been stated that if a SPN begins prior to 140 seconds after the onset of caloric stimulation and if the magnitude of the slow phase velocity is greater than 6 degrees/sec, then a premature reversal caloric nystagmus (PRCN) is said to exit. Thus far, there have been no reports describing PRCN in Korea. We described a typical PRCN in a patient with medulloblastoma within the 4th ventricle. The patient had a gaze-evoked horizontal and upbeating nystagmus. However, there was no indication of spontaneous nystagmus. A monothermal caloric test was administered. The initial left beating primary phase nystagmus was subsided at 60 seconds after right cold water stimulation and at 110 seconds, a right beating SPN with 14 degrees/sec of slow phase velocity was appeared and was continuous for 240 seconds. Although the precise mechanism of PRCN is unknown, vestibular nuclei damage may be related.

Prognosis of Temporal Lobectomy for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients with Mental Retardation

BACKGROUND: For decades, patients with epilepsy and mental retardation (MR) have been considered as a relative contraindication for focal resective epilepsy surgery. However, considerable debate exists concerning whether the presence of MR is a contraindication for epilepsy surgery or not. We examined the postsurgical seizure outcome of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) according to preoperative intelligence scores and the relationship between preoperative intelligence and postsurgical seizure outcomes of TLE. METHODS: We investigated 131 patients with TLE divided into two groups according to standard IQ ranges and seizure outcomes were compared by Engel's classification. RESULTS: The percentage of seizure free patients after surgery was 66.4% in all patients and the percentage in patients with and without MR were 60.7% and 68%, respectively. The age at seizure onset was significantly different between the MR group and non the MR group. However, other factors which have been thought to affect the intelligence of patients with TLE were not significantly different between the two groups. The best postoperative seizure outcome was shown in the borderline group, where the frequency of hippocampal sclerosis and age at seizure onset were significantly higher compared to the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although preoperative MR has been regarded as a predictor for a poor prognosis of surgical outcome, our results suggest that MR alone is not a contraindication for epilepsy surgery. Therefore, epilepsy patients with MR who meet other inclusion criteria for epilepsy surgery should not be rejected for epilepsy surgery.