Is Youth Wasted on the Young? Determining Quality of Life in Older Patients with Epilepsy

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare how the elderly (age \u003e65 years) perceive their epilepsy in relation to younger patients. Background: As the general population ages, epilepsy in the elderly is a growing patient cohort. Due to comorbidities and potential differences in goals of care, it is important to understand and clinically treat this group as a unique entity from younger epilepsy patients. Design/Methods: Upon IRB approval, we administered the Quality of Life in Epilepsy survey (QOLIE-31) during clinic visits in a comprehensive epilepsy clinic, on particular days from September 2017-October 2019. Patients’ epilepsy history and their Neurological Disorder Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDIE) scores and Patient History Questionnaire Generalized Anxiety Disorder – 7 (PHQ-GAD7) were collected through retrospective chart review. Survey results were scored in subcategories using QOLIE-31 conversion tables. Results: 41 surveys were scored and corresponding clinic visits reviewed. Sixteen patients were aged 65 years and older (mean 73 years±2.9) and 25 were aged between 18–64 years (mean 47.8 years±2.3), with female gender predominance (60.98%). There was no difference in mean QOLIE-31 total score between groups, 51.2±2.3 vs. 49.1±2.9, p=0.57. On subcategory analysis, younger patients are more worried about seizures, 47.1±2.2 vs 56.3±2.7, p=0.01, however on generalized anxiety screening older adults tend to screen positive, 9.9±2.1 vs. 6.4±1.4, p=0.2. There was no difference in perceived medication effects on quality of life, 51.9±2.4 vs. 52.2±2.9, p=0.94. Older patients tended to score higher on NDDIE, 13.9±1.4 vs. 11.3±1.0, p=0.2. Conclusions: Elderly patients with epilepsy were less worried about their seizures when compared to younger patients, although they screened positive for general anxiety and had higher depressions scores. Further analyses are currently underway to increase cohort sizes and complete more detailed subcategory analyses. Epilepsy is perceived differently across different age groups and further study is needed to provide age-appropriate counseling. Disclosure: Dr. Heiser has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stoub has nothing to disclose. Dr. Smith has nothing to disclose. Dr. Packard has nothing to disclose. Dr. O’Dwyer has nothing to disclose.