Abstracts

To determine the effect of levetiracetam (LEV) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) when added to other antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for community-based patients in Spain. LEV was added to other AEDs in a open-label study of adjunctive therapy. Patients [ge]16 years of age with partial-onset seizures were evaluated for changes in HRQOL with the QOLIE-10-P, a new version that includes the 10-items from the original QOLIE-10 (scores ranging from 0 [ndash] worst HRQOL [ndash] to 100 [ndash] best HRQOL), one item on overall distress, and one item on the relative importance of each QOLIE-10-P domain. Assessments were made at baseline and after adjunctive treatment with 1000-3000 mg/day LEV for 16 weeks. Change from baseline in overall HRQOL was additionally assessed at follow-up on a 5-point scale. A total of 342 patients were evaluated (mean age 39 years, 54% female, mean duration of epilepsy 21 years). Adjunctive LEV reduced the weekly frequency of partial seizures and all seizure types by a median of 55%. QOLIE-10-P total scores were significantly improved from baseline (mean[plusmn]SD: 54.2[plusmn]18.1) to final follow-up (64.4[plusmn]18.7), an increase of 10.2[plusmn]17.8 points (paired t-test: p[lt]0.001). All item/domain scores were also significantly improved from baseline to follow-up (all p[lt]0.001, except energy-fatigue p=0.004). Score changes from baseline were greatest for seizure worry (+13.7 points), social function (+13.5) and overall QOL (+10.5). The epilepsy effects factor improved from baseline by +9.1 points, mental health factor by +7.5 points, and role function factor by +12.9 points (all p[lt]0.001). At baseline and at follow-up, seizure worry, overall QOL and social function were listed by the patients as the three most important domains. Patients[rsquo] global assessment of change revealed that 59% of patients felt their HRQOL had improved with the addition of LEV (25% a lot better, 34% a little better) while 15% felt unchanged. The addition of LEV to other AEDs resulted in improved HRQOL in this cohort of community-based patients in Spain. Largest improvements were observed in those items/domains reported as the most important by the patients, i.e. seizure worry, social function and overall QOL. (Supported by UCB Pharma S.A.)