The usefulness of NDDI-E and QOLIE-10 scales for the screening of major depressive disorders in patients with epilepsy in video-EEG units.

Abstract

Mood disorders in patients with epilepsy are common, with depression being the most prevalent. However, this comorbidity is often underdiagnosed. The systematic use of scales such as NDDI-E and QOLIE-10 in prolonged video-EEG monitoring units could be a useful tool for the detection of this comorbidity. Descriptive cross-sectional study of a series of patients with epilepsy evaluated in a prolonged video-EEG monitoring unit. Three hundred forty-nine patients were included. The mean age was 49.1 years, and 49.3% were female. 66.2% had focal epilepsy. 20.4% had pharmacoresistant epilepsy. 38.7% of patients had NDDI-E > 13. 43% of patients with focal epilepsy had NDDI-E > 13 versus 21.8% of patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (p = .015). Patients with focal temporal epilepsy had the highest rate of NDDI-E > 13 (48.5%). Significant association was found between patient-perceived mood and NDDI-E score (p < .001). However, in the group of patients with NDDI-E > 13, 37.6% had reported feeling "very good" or "good" in mood. Likewise, in the group that had reported feeling "very good" or "good" 21.6% had NDDI-E > 13. In 50.5% of patients with NDDI-E > 13 some kind of therapeutic intervention aimed at this comorbidity was performed. Perceived quality of life as measured by the QOLIE-10 scale was lower in patients with NDDI-E > 13 (p < .001). The use of scales such as the NDDI-E and QOLIE-10 at the time of admission in video-EEG monitoring units allows screening for major depressive disorders in patients with epilepsy, which subsequently needs to be confirmed by formal assessment by a psychiatrist. Their systematic use in these units prevents some patients from going undiagnosed. Detection of these disorders allows targeted therapeutic intervention.