Introducing of prospective quality of life assessment in pediatric epilepsy surgery patients: a pilot study

Abstract

Purpose:This study aimed to introduce a systematic monitoring of the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in children undergoing resective epilepsy surgery in Motol Epilepsy Center, Prague. In long term we aim to analyze effects of epilepsy surgery on various aspects of HRQoL.Methods:We have recruited children with focal intrac-table epilepsy evaluated in Motol Epilepsy Center as potential candidates of of resective or disconnective epi-lepsy surgery. The recruitment started in May 2019. The inclusion criteria were: 1) age between 11 and 18 years, 2) IQ above 70 points. To evaluate the HRQOL we used QOLIE- AD- 48 (Health- Related Quality of Life Measure for Children with Epilepsy). The Czech version of QOLIE- AD- 48 consisting of six domains (Epilepsy impact, Memory, Physical functioning, Stigma, School behavior, Health perceptions) was standardized in our previous study. The questionnaire was administered to all patients during the diagnostic work- up and in operated patients 6, respectively 12 months after the surgery. For preliminary results we analyzed data available until February 2022.Results:We obtained presurgical evaluation of quality oflife from 29 children. Surgery was not indicated in 4 cases,in 2 cases the diagnostic process was incomplete and in 4the final follow- up was less than 6 months after surgery.Retests were available in 19 operated patients (in 17 casesafter 6 months, in 16 cases after 12 months, in 11 cases both).We observed significant improvement in Health percep-tion domain (p = 0.003, resp. p< 0.001) and Stigma domain(p = 0.049, p = 0.013), both 6 and 12 months after epilepsysurgery. In Epilepsy impact domain we observed significantimprovement only after 6 months after surgery (p = 0.030).Conclusion:Systematic monitoring enables advanced analysis of impact of epilepsy surgery on quality of life in pediatric patients