Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on seizure, anxiety, and depression in 107 patients with epilepsy

Abstract

ObjectiveTo study the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) on epileptic seizures, anxiety, and depression in patients with epilepsy. MethodsBased on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, an ambispective cohort study was hereby conducted on patients with epilepsy infected with SARS-CoV-2 who visited the outpatient and ward of the Department of Neurology of Xinyang Central Hospital from December 2022 (when the domestic epidemic prevention and control policy was lifted) to February 2023. A face-to-face questionnaire survey involving factors including basic information, vaccination with inactivated COVID-19 vaccines, number of seizures within 2 months before and after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and scores of anxiety and depression was carried out. ResultsA total of 107 patients with epilepsy satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria completed the follow-up after 2 months. It was found that enrolled patients maintained the original dose of antiepileptic drugs, but the frequency of seizures after COVID-19 infection could not be controlled. After infection with SARS-CoV-2, the frequency of seizures in patients with epilepsy in 2 months increased compared with that before infection (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, compared with the vaccinated group, the high-frequency seizure rate of epilepsy in the unvaccinated group was higher. (P < 0.05), and the anxiety and depression scores of patients with epilepsy were worse than those before they were infected (P < 0.05). ConclusionBeing infected with SARS-CoV-2 can increase the number of seizures and aggravate the degree of anxiety and depression in patients with epilepsy. The inactivated vaccine is protective, and the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine can reduce the rate of high-frequency seizures.