Depression in adults with epilepsy attending epilepsy clinic in tertiary care hospital: an observational study

Authors

  • Ruchit Jain Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India
  • Rajkiran Salunkhe Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India
  • Amit Chougule Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India
  • Aditya Kalwaghe Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India
  • Ansh Chaudhary Department of Medicine, Bharati Vidhyapeeth University Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
  • Bhupendra Chaudhary Department of Neurology, Jaswant Rai Super Speciality Hospital, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3259.ijct20220364

Keywords:

Epilepsy, Depression, Seizure, Adults, Drug compliance

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. Depressive disorders are the most common psychiatric co-morbidity in patients with epilepsy. Early detection and treatment improve overall health related quality in these patients.

Methods: A prospective cross sectional observational study was conducted across 6 months (December 2018-May 2019) in a tertiary care hospital. The present study included 50 registered patients and various socio-demographic factors like age, sex, marital status, literacy, drug compliance and status of seizure control etc. were evaluated in regards to prevalence and severity of depression.

Results: Out of 50 patients, 27 patients (54%) showed signs of depression. Out of which 10 patients (20%) showed signs of mild depression, 6 patients (12%) showed signs of moderate depression, 7 patients (14%) showed signs of moderately severe depression whereas 4 patients (8%) showed signs of severe depression and there was a strong association of drug compliance, current epilepsy status and last seizure episode with various degree of depression.

Conclusions: Depression is an illness with a significant morbidity and mortality. Its association with epilepsy is very strong. Various factors contribute to depression which include compliance of drugs, last seizure episode, current status of epilepsy, etc. Unfortunately, depression among epileptics is very much under diagnosed and therefore untreated. A through psychiatric assessment should be done in these patients with epilepsy for depression and appropriate treatment should be instituted.

Author Biographies

Ruchit Jain, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India

Principal Invesigator, Departmnt of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj

Rajkiran Salunkhe, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India

Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra

Amit Chougule, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra

Aditya Kalwaghe, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra, India

Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Miraj, Maharashtra

Ansh Chaudhary, Department of Medicine, Bharati Vidhyapeeth University Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Department of Medicine, Bharati Vidhyapeeth University Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra

Bhupendra Chaudhary, Department of Neurology, Jaswant Rai Super Speciality Hospital, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India

Principal Consultant and Head, Department of Neurology, Jaswant Rai Super Speciality Hospital, Meerut, U.P., India

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Published

2022-04-25

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Section

Original Research Articles