Impact of depression and anxiety on perception of drug-related adverse events and quality of life in patients with epilepsy

Depression and anxiety affect the perception of adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs and the quality of life among patients with epilepsy. There are no available studies in Bulgarian on investigating the interrelations between these clinical parameters. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of depression and anxiety on perception of drug-related adverse effects and the quality of life in Bulgarian patients with epilepsy, comparing the impact of some clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. The study group consisted of 131 consecutive patients with epilepsy (57 male and 74 female, average age 40.13 ± 13.37 years). The methods used were documentary analysis, an interview on clinical factors, questionnaires (Liverpool Adverse Events Profile, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory – 89), and statistical methods. Depression was observed in 32 (24%) of the studied participants and anxiety symptoms – in 44 (34%). We found significant positive correlations between depression and anxiety and the total LAEP score, as well as the presence of neurological and psychiatric AEs and a mild correlation between depression and anxiety and the presence of non-neurological AEs. The statistical analysis revealed that the subscales of QOLIE-89 were negatively correlated to higher scores of the HADS subscales for depression and anxiety, the presence of neurological and psychiatric AEs, higher number of prescribed drugs, older age, seizure frequency, and symptomatic type of epilepsy. Depression and anxiety in patients with epilepsy are closely connected to perception for frequenter and severer drug-related AEs and worse quality of life. The results will be useful in the assessment of adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs, and those in adjusting the antiepileptic therapy.