Validation of the Chinese version of the Liverpool Adverse Events Profile in patients with epilepsy.

The objective of the study was to validate the Chinese version of The Liverpool Adverse Events Profile (LAEP) in patients with epilepsy. The scale was translated from the English version into a Chinese version and was then back-translated to examine its accuracy. Content validity, concurrent validity, and construct validity were then used to examine the overall validity of this scale. A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from three medical centers. The LAEP Chinese version was tested with respect to validity and reliability in 357 patients with epilepsy, and another 28 patients were invited to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the scale in a 2-week interval. There was a good content validity index (CVI=1.0). Patients undergoing polytherapy had more adverse effects (χ(2)=6.10, p<0.01) and higher LAEP scores (t=-2.91, p<0.01) than patients undergoing monotherapy, indicating a good concurrent validity. Factor analysis included three factors classified by symptoms in the 22-item Chinese version of the LAEP. The total variance of these three factors was 39.3% for the scale. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.92) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC=0.80) were satisfactory. Moreover, the LAEP can be completed in a short time, is perceived as easy to complete, and there was no relevant information missing. The results indicated that the Chinese version of the LAEP yielded highly acceptable parameters of validity and reliability and can be used for measuring adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs among Chinese-speaking patients with epilepsy in Taiwan.

The relationships among medicine symptom distress, self-efficacy, patient-provider relationship, and medication compliance in patients with epilepsy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among medicine symptom distress, self-efficacy, patient-provider relationship, and medication compliance in patients with epilepsy. Patients with epilepsy (n=357) were recruited using convenience sampling from three medical centers in northern Taiwan. Results showed significant differences in relationships between medication compliance and the following factors: gender, employment status, comorbid chronic diseases, self-driving, daily drug dosing frequency, seizure after a missed dose, and self-efficacy. Logistic regression analysis indicated that comorbid chronic disease, self-driving, seizure after a missed dose, and self-efficacy were significantly associated with medication compliance. These data suggest that health care providers of patients with epilepsy pay more attention to treatment of comorbid chronic diseases, the safety issues of self-driving, seizures occurring after missed doses, and awareness of self-efficacy.