(383) COVID-19 Perceptions, Behaviors and Seizure Control in Patients with Epilepsy: Findings and Suggestions from a Nationwide Multi-center Survey in China

This abstract has been invited to present during the Better Patient Outcomes through Diversity Platform poster session

Rationale: To date, epidemiological data on the prevalence of confirmed or suspected COVID-19, the seizure control conditions, the mental health problems and psychiatric morbidity of patients with epilepsy (PWE) during the COVID-19 pandemic have not been available; therefore, how best to respond to challenges for epilepsy patients during the outbreak is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate COVID-19 perceptions, behaviors and seizure control in PWE during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study was conducted in 1,719 PWE from 26 hospitals who were at least primary school graduates. Participants were investigated by a modified COVID-19 Psychosocial Research Consortium Survey during February 2020 to April 2020. Subjects included were divided into two groups for comparison of the impact of COVID-19 on seizure control: (1) “PWE with seizure increase”, (2) “PWE without seizure increase” based on the seizure frequency during COVID-19 outbreak. Chi-square test and t-test were used to test differences on significant characteristics. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) to compare PWE with seizure increase with PWE without seizure increase for various levels of perceptions, behaviors and mental health.

Results: One thousand, two hundred thirty-seven adult PWE were enrolled for further analysis. There was no significant difference between PWE with/without seizure increase in demographic characteristics including gender, age, education, living state and COVID-19 exposure history. Logistic analyses showed that PWE with seizure increase were more likely to feel nervous about the epidemic and have poor quality of life during COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, non-seizure free before COVID-19 outbreak, drug reduction/withdrawal, moderate anxiety during the epidemic were presented as risk factors for seizure increase.

Conclusions: The study shed light on how the COVID-19 outbreak affects seizure control regarding behavioral and psychological responses to the epidemic. PWE with nervous tension, poor quality of life, moderate anxiety, and drug reduction/withdrawal during COVID-19 outbreak, as well as nonseizure free before COVID-19 outbreak were more susceptible to seizure increase. Understanding these correlations is critical in PWE management during the epidemic.

Funding: Please list any funding that was received in support of this abstract.: National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC:81671300), Research Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016YFC0904400), Natural Science Foundation of Hunan province (2020JJ5914), Xiangya Hospital Clinical Project (No. 2016L08).
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