I. Comparison between the parents of the epileptic children group and the control group:
- Socio-demographic characteristics of the parent in the epileptic group in comparison to the control group.
- HDRS, HAM-A and DASS-21 `S characteristics in epileptic and control group.
II- Correlation between independent variables and different parameters:
- Socio-demographic characteristics:
- The correlations between Anxiety, depression (assessed by HDRS, HAM-A and DASS-21) and different variable in the epileptic children as Type of seizure, the used Antiepileptic drugs and compliance.
I. Comparison between the parents of the epileptic children group and the control group:
A. Socio-demographic characteristics of the parent in the group with seizures in comparison to the control group.
Table (1): Socio-demographic characteristics of the parent in the epileptic group in comparison to the control group.
|
Parents of the epileptic group
(n=50)
|
Parents of the control group (n=50)
|
P value
|
Parental age
Range
Mean ± SD
|
(20-59)
37.7±8.6
|
(20-50)
36.7±5.9
|
0.474
|
Parental Sex
Male
Female
|
16(32%)
34(68%)
|
33(66%)
17(34%)
|
0.001*
|
Occupation
Not working
Working
|
36(72%)
14(28%)
|
15(30%)
35(70%)
|
<0.001*
|
Parental Education
Illiterate
Primary
Preparatory
Secondary
Higher
|
27(54%)
0(0%)
5(10%)
17(34%)
1(2%)
|
16(32%)
0(0%)
0(0%)
23(46%)
11(22%)
|
0.001*
|
Independent sample t test for parametric quantitative data between the two groups
Chi square test (if number per cell ≥5), Fisher Exact test (if number per cell <5) for qualitative data between the two groups*: Significant difference at P value < 0.05
B. DASS score, HAM-A and HDRS characteristics in the parents of the epileptic and control group.
Table (2): DASS different domains characteristics in the parents of the epileptic and control group.
|
Parents of the epileptic group (n=50)
|
Parents of the control group
(n=50)
|
P value
|
DASS depression
Normal
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extremely severe
|
23(46%)
15(30%)
12(24%)
0(0%)
0(0%)
|
39(78%)
7(14%)
2(4%)
1(2%)
1(2%)
|
0.001*
|
DASS anxiety
Normal
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extremely severe
|
12(24%)
11(22%)
20(40%)
5(10%)
2(4%)
|
33(66%)
6(12%)
7(14%)
2(4%)
2(4%)
|
< 0.001*
|
DASS stress
Normal
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Extremely severe
|
43(86%)
5(10%)
2(4%)
0(0%)
0(0%)
|
46(92%)
2(4%)
1(2%)
1(2%)
0(0%)
|
0.508
|
DASS total Score
Range
Mean ± SD
|
(0-20)
9.6±4.9
|
(2-28)
6.9±5.4
|
0.001*
|
Fisher Exact test for qualitative data between the two groups
*: Significant difference at P value < 0.05
Table (3): HAM-A and HDRS score characteristics in the parents of the epileptic and control group.
|
Parents of the Epileptic Group
(n=50)
|
Parents of the Control Group
(n=50)
|
P value
|
HAM-A
Range
Mean ± SD
|
(0-18)
7±4.2
|
(0-12)
4.1±2.4
|
<0.001*
|
HDRS
Range
Mean ± SD
|
(0-14)
5.2±3.4
|
(0-19)
5.9±3.9
|
0.370
|
Mann Whitney test for non-parametric quantitative data between the two groups*: Significant difference at P value < 0.05
II-Correlation between independent variables and different parameters:
Socio-demographic characteristics (parental education):
Table (4): Correlation between parental education and DASS score, HAS and HDRS
|
Parental education
R
|
P value
|
DASS Score
|
-0.118
|
0.414
|
HAS
|
-0.186
|
0.196
|
HDRS
|
0.046
|
0.749
|
Table (5): summarizes the correlations between type of seizure and HDRS, HAM-A and DASS.
|
Type of seizure
|
P value
|
Generalized
(n=45)
|
Focal
(n=5)
|
DASS score
Range
Mean ± SD
|
(2-20)
9.5±4.7
|
(0-12)
8.4±5
|
0.893
|
HAM-A
Range
Mean ± SD
|
(1-18)
6.7±4
|
(0-14)
8.2±5.6
|
0.435
|
HDRS
Range
Mean ± SD
|
(0-14)
5.1±3.3
|
(0-7)
4.4±3.2
|
0.842
|
Mann Whitney test for non-parametric quantitative data between the two groups
Independent sample t test for parametric quantitative data between the two groups
*: Significant difference at P value < 0.05
N.B. there was a case with absence seizure which excluded due to small sample size
Table (6) Correlations between the poly-therapy and DASS, HAM-A and HDRS.
|
Poly Therapy
|
R
|
P value
|
DASS score
|
-0.014
|
0.926
|
HAM-A
|
0.220
|
0.125
|
HDRS
|
0.197
|
0.169
|
• Non-parametric Spearman’s rho correlation
• *: Significant correlation at P value <0.05
Table (7) Correlations between compliance on the therapy and DASS, HAM-A and HDRS
|
Compliance
|
R
|
P value
|
DASS score
|
-0.123
|
0.395
|
HAM-A
|
0.032
|
0.828
|
HDRS
|
0.091
|
0.532
|
• Non-parametric Spearman’s rho correlation*: Significant correlation at P value <0.05
In the present study. A total 100 children and their caregiver were included. Fifty children diagnosed clinically as epileptic (group A). Another 50 age and sex matched control (Group B). Forty five children diagnosed as having generalized fits while five children had focal fits. Within the epileptic group, 34 subjects (68%) were on mono-therapy of antiepileptic drugs while 16 subjects (32%) were on poly- therapy. Thirty one subjects (62%) were compliant on treatment while 19 (38%) were noncompliant.
Regarding parents, they also classified into two groups. Parents of epileptic children and parents of the control. There was a statistical significance between the 2 groups regarding parent sex where 16 parents at epileptic children group (32 %) were males who attended the interview in contrast to 33 parents (66 %) in the control group. There was also a trend to statistically significance between the 2 groups regarding parent occupation where 36 parents (72%) were not working at the epileptic children group in contrast to 15 parents (30%) were not working at the control group (p<.001).
There was also a trend to statistically significance between the 2 groups regarding the parental education where 27 parents (54%) were illiterate in contrast to 16 parents (32%) within the control group (p<.001).
There was no statistically significant difference between the parents of the epileptic group and the control group in their socio demographic characteristics other than the previously described.
Also, there was statistically significant difference between the parents of the epileptic group and the control group regarding DASS score with a mean of 9.6±4.9 at epileptic group, in contrast to a mean of 6.9±5.4 in the control group (p< .001).
There was statistically significant difference between the parents of the epileptic group and the control group regarding DASS score (depression and anxiety (p <.001). On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding DASS stress score (P 0.508).
There was statistically significant difference between the parents of the epileptic group and the control group regarding HAM-A score with a mean of 7±4.2 at the epileptic group, in contrast to a mean of 4.1±2.4 in the control group (p <.001). There was no statistically significance between the 2 groups regarding the HDRS.
However, there was a negative correlation between parental education and DASS score and HAS but not statistically significant. While there was a positive correlation between parental education and HDRS score but also not statistically significant.
The parents of group of generalized fits had a higher score of DASS (9.5±4.7), HDRS (5.1±3.3). In contrast to the focal fits group.
The group of generalized fits shows to have lower score of HAM-A (6.7±4) in contrast to the focal fits group. All of these correlations were not statistically significant.
Moreover, poly-therapy group shows to have less depression, anxiety and stress in their parents measured by DASS score.
Complaint group shows to have a lower score of (DASS), in contrast to non-complaint group. These correlations were not statistically significant.
Compliant group shows to have higher score of HAM-A, HDRS score in contrast to non-compliant group. These correlations were not statistically significant.