Socio-economic impact on epilepsy outside of the nation-wide COVID-19 pandemic area

• DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107886
• Publication Date: 2021-03-12T10:16:44Z
• Authors: Shuichiro Neshige; Shiro Aoki; Takeo Shishido; Hiroyuki Morino; Koji Iida; Hirofumi Maruyama
• Keywords: Pandemic

To identify people with epilepsy (PWE) who required extensive care before the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that had world-wide impacts on medical and socio-economic conditions.Consecutive PWE were treated at center of Hiroshima University Hospital, which was located in COVID-19 non-pandemic area, between March August 2020 enrolled. We evaluated clinical socioeconomic factors associated seizure exacerbation (an increase frequency) during first 6 months after started compared previous months.Among 196 (mean age 37.8 ± 16.2 years), there 33 (16.8%) whose frequency increased began. People a showed significant association living alone (p < 0.001), higher negative findings MRI = 0.020), history dissociative mood disorders insomnia high psychological stress levels 0.024) baseline without exacerbation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed "living alone" (odds ratio (OR) 3.69; 95%CI 1.29-10.52), "high baseline" (OR 4.53; 1.63-12.57), "comorbidity insomnia" 9.55; 3.71-24.55) independently exacerbation.Even exacerbation, suggesting clinicians should screen patients' mental health outbreak to provide care, reduce burden, prevent social isolation PWE. This be addressed particularly patients medically refractory seizures live alone.