Quality of life and level of burden in primary caregivers of patients with epilepsy: Effect of neuropsychiatric comorbidity.

BACKGROUND: Few studies are focused on the quality of life (QOL) of primary caregivers and the effects of the clinical variables of epilepsy and patient psychiatric comorbidity on primary caregivers. PURPOSE: Our main objective was to describe QOL and level of burden (LB) in caregivers of people with epilepsy (PWE) at a tertiary-care hospital in Mexico City. A secondary purpose was to determine if LB and QOL were different between caregivers of patients with neuropsychiatric comorbidity and caregivers of patients without neuropsychiatric comorbidity. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-one caregivers of PWE were assessed with the short version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) scale (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Zarit Burden Interview. Patients' clinical and demographic data, along with their psychiatric histories, were collected. RESULTS: One hundred and twelve patients had psychiatric comorbidity. The mean LB score of the caregivers was 26.25±16.28. The mean scores for the WHOQOL-BREF domains were as follows: physical health, 47.8±10.7; psychological health, 55.4±11.5; social relationships, 47.23±18.6; and environment, 48.7±11.6. The caregivers of patients with psychiatric comorbidity had lower scores in the domains of psychological health (p=0.034) and social relationships (p=0.029) compared with caregivers of PWE without comorbidity. On adjusted multivariate analysis, aggressiveness (p=0.008), age at onset of epilepsy (p=0.02), and years with epilepsy (p=0.01) were associated with higher caregiver LB scores; higher caregiver years of education were associated with better psychological health (p=0.002) and more years with epilepsy (p=0.03) with lower QOL scores. CONCLUSION: Aggressive behavior was the psychiatric comorbidity most clearly associated with lower QOL and higher LB. Longer duration of epilepsy was related to higher burden and lower QOL. More years of education of the caregiver were associated with better QOL. We found no significant correlation between seizure control and QOL or LB.

[Clozapine in epilepsy and psychosis: effects on seizures and metabolic profile]. / Clozapina en epilepsia y psicosis: efectos en las crisis epilépticas y en el perfil metabólico.

Background: Clozapine (CZP) is an antipsychotic used in resistant psychosis, but has adverse metabolic effects and is associated with new onset or worsening of epileptic seizures (ES). There is not enough information available regarding its effect on metabolic variables and on ES in patients with epilepsy. Objective: To describe the effect of CZP on the metabolic and hematologic profiles, and on ES in patients with epilepsy and with psychosis and/or aggressive behavior. Methods: A case series of patients with epilepsy and psychosis and/or aggressive behavior that received CZP with an 18-week follow-up. Clinical records were assessed from 2008-2018. 30 patients with epilepsy that received CZP were included. A paired analysis (Student's t-test or Wilcoxon signed rank test) was performed with metabolic variables (glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides), hematologic variables, weight, body mass index (BMI), and monthly ES before and after CZP administration. Results: The median age to CZP initiation was 31.9 ± 16.07 years. Median CZP dosage was 193 mg/day. There were changes on BMI (p = 0.001; 3.2 kg/m2 increase, median = 3.08), triglycerides (p = 0.002) and glucose (p = 0.030). Weight increase was 7 kg (p = 0.292; median = 4 kg). Monthly ES mean was decreased from 4.9 (median = 2) to 2.04 (median = 1; p = 0.001). Conclusions: This study provide information regarding the security profile of CZP in patients with epilepsy with psychosis and/or aggressive behavior. A decrease on monthly ES was observed, as well as moderate increases in triglycerides, glucose and BMI, which coincide with that described by other authors.

Introducción: La clozapina (CZP) es un antipsicótico efectivo en la psicosis que no responde a otros antipsicóticos, pero tiene efectos metabólicos adversos y se relaciona con la generación de crisis epilépticas (CE). Existe poca información sobre su efecto en variables metabólicas y sobre las CE en pacientes con epilepsia. Objetivo: Describir el efecto de la CZP en el perfil metabólico, el perfil hematológico y la frecuencia de CE en pacientes con epilepsia y con psicosis o agresividad. Método: Serie de casos de pacientes con epilepsia y psicosis o agresividad que recibieron CZP con un seguimiento de 18 semanas. Se revisaron los expedientes clínicos de 2008-2018. Se incluyeron 30 pacientes con epilepsia que recibieron CZP. Se hizo una comparación pareada (prueba t de Student o de signo y rango de Wilcoxon), antes y después del inicio de la CZP, de las variables metabólicas (glucosa, colesterol y triglicéridos) y hematológicas, el peso, el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y las CE mensuales. Resultados: La edad media al iniciar la CZP fue de 31.9 ± 16.07 años. La dosis media fue 193 mg/día. Hubo incremento en el IMC (p = 0.001; aumento de 3.2 kg/m2; mediana = 3.08), los triglicéridos (p = 0.002) y la glucosa (p = 0.030). La ganancia de peso fue de 7 ± 10.4 kg (p = 0.292; mediana = 4 kg). El promedio de CE mensuales se redujo de 4.9 (mediana = 2) a 2.04 (p = 0.001; mediana = 1). Conclusiones: Este estudio aporta información del perfil de seguridad del uso de CZP en pacientes con epilepsia y psicosis o agresividad. Se observó una disminución en la frecuencia mensual de CE, así como aumentos moderados de los triglicéridos, la glucosa y el IMC, que coinciden con lo descrito por otros autores.

Neurosurgical Therapy for Status Epilepticus in Oligoastrocytoma Patients.

BACKGROUND: Super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) is a life-threatening neurologic emergency defined as "status epilepticus (SE) that continues 24 hours or more after the onset of anesthesia, including those cases in which the SE recurs on the reduction or withdrawal of anesthesia," which occurs in 10% to 15% of patients with SE and rarely has been resolved surgically. CASE DESCRIPTIONS: A 20-year-old man with SRSE and a long history of left parieto-occipital oligoastrocytoma was admitted for convulsive SE that became SRSE and underwent lesionectomy guided by electrocorticography and neuronavigation for local tumor recurrence. Histopathologic diagnosis was oligoastrocytoma. SRSE was aborted and the patient recovered fully without any functional deficits. CONCLUSIONS: The lesionectomy guided by electrocorticography and neuronavigation should be considered as a treatment option for patients with SRSE.