Systemic Family Therapy of Comorbidity of Anxiety and Depression with Epilepsy in Adolescents

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to find if systemic family therapy (SFT) does work in anxiety and depression with epilepsy in adolescents (ADAE). METHODS: 104 adolescents with epilepsy, aged 13-20 years old, were included from December 2009 to December 2010, the enrolled patients were with anxiety [Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score ≥14 points] or depression [Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score ≥20 points]. The patients were randomly divided into the control group (n=52) treated with antiepileptic drugs (AED) and the intervention group (n=52) undergone Systemic Family Therapy (SFT) as well as AED. The AED improvements, anxiety and depression scores, Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Family Assessment Device (FAD) and scale of systemic family dynamics (SSFD) were observed after 3-month treatment. RESULTS: The frequencies of epileptic seizures in intervention group was decreased much more significantly than the control group (4.22±3.54 times/month vs. 6.20±5.86 times/month, p=0.04); and the scores of anxiety (9.52±6.28 points vs. 13.48±8.47 points, p=0.01) and depression (13.86±9.17 points vs. 18.89±8.73 points, p=0.02) were significantly decreased than the control group; meanwhile, the family dynamics and family functions were significantly improved, and the social support was also increased (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: SFT combined with AEDs had better efficacies than AEDs alone, not only the frequency of epileptic seizures was decreased, but also the patients' anxiety and depression were improved, and the family dynamics, family functions and social support were improved.

Calidad de vida en niños y adolescentes con epilepsia / Quality of life in children and adolescents with epilepsy

Introducción: La epilepsia es una enfermedad crónica que se origina en el cerebro debido a descargas neuronales anormales. Este padecimiento no respeta geografía, raza, sexo o condición social, teniendo en ocasiones graves consecuencias psicológicas, sociales y económicas. Objetivos: Evaluar la calidad de vida de niños y adolescentes con epilepsia y describir factores que pueden incidir en la calidad de vida de estos pacientes. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal en el cual se emplearon técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas como el cuestionario y la entrevista en profundidad. Se trabajó con 22 pacientes comprendidos entre las edades pediátricas de 6 a 13 años que asisten a la consulta de neurología del Hospital William Soler. Resultados: se demostró que el nivel de calidad de vida que predomina en los niños y adolescentes con epilepsia estudiados es bueno, se evidenció que la categoría calidad de vida es el resultado de la compleja interacción entre lo social y lo psicológico y que factores tales como el tipo de epilepsia, edad de debut y tiempo transcurrido desde la última crisis, pueden incidir en la calidad de vida de estos pacientes. Conclusiones: la calidad de vida que predomina en los niños y adolescentes con epilepsia estudiados es buena. El aprendizaje es el parámetro de mayor afectación en estos pacientes, mientras que la autonomía resultó ser el de mejor resultado(AU)

Introduction: Epilepsy is a chronic disease that originates in the brain due to abnormal neuronal discharges. This ailment does not respect geography, race, gender or social condition, sometimes with severe psychological, social and economic consequences. Objectives: To evaluate the quality of life of children and adolescents with epilepsy and to describe factors that may affect the quality of life of these patients. Methods: It was conducted a descriptive study of cross section in which quantitative and qualitative techniques were used, like the questionnaire and the interview in depth. We worked with 22 patients ranging from the pediatric ages of 6 to 13 years attending the consultation of neurology of William Soler Hospital. Results: it was demonstrated that the level of quality of life that predominates in the studied children and adolescents with epilepsy is good, it was proved that the category quality of life is the result of the complex interaction between the social and the psychological and factors such as the type of epilepsy, age of debut and time elapsed since the last crisis, may affect in the quality of life of these patients. Conclusions: the quality of life that predominates in the studied children and adolescents with epilepsy is good. Learning is the parameter most affected in these patients, while autonomy proved to be the best result(AU)