ASSESSMENT QUALITY OF LIFE IN EGYPTIAN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH EPILEPSY

Background: Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological condition in developing years that can negatively impact one's physical, social and emotional function. The aim of the study was to explore the current status of health related quality of life (HR-QOL) in Egyptian children and adolescents with epilepsy using (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire . Patients and Methods: This Case control study was carried out in pediatric neurology unit and outpatient clinic in department of pediatrics at Zagazig University Children's Hospital on 110 children. All the children were subjected to history taking, clinical examination and assessment of QOL by WHOQOL-BREF. Results: There was a significant decreases in all domains and total score of WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire between studied group. There was a significant –ve correlation between age and psychological domain score, also between number of school failure and both psychological and environmental domain. Disease duration and treatment duration were –ve significantly correlated with all QOL domains. A significant +ve correlation was founded between social class score and both general and environmental domain.. There was a significance decrease in general and environmental domain score between cases with generalized and partial seizers compared to cases with absent seizers. Conclusion: Diminished QOL is common in children with epilepsy than other children. Patients with epilepsy had lower mean scores of all domains of QOL, especially those with frequent fits, those with long duration, and in patients with generalized fits.