Excessive Daytime Sleepiness And Sleep Issues Among Patients With Epilepsy: A Cross-Sectional Study At A Tertiary Care Hospital, Islamabad

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of excessive sleep disorders and associated risk factors in patients with epilepsy presenting at the neurology department of the Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Neurology to enrol participants aged 18–90 years with a confirmed clinical diagnosis of epilepsy for at least one year. Sociodemographic variables (age, sex, residence, and occupation) and clinical characteristics (epilepsy type, age at diagnosis, disease duration, seizure frequency, time since the last seizure, and history of nocturnal seizures) were collected using a structured form. Excessive daytime sleepiness was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Results: There were 150 patients with epilepsy, of whom 78 (52.0%) were men and 72 (48.0%) were men and women. The mean age was 34.6±14.6 years. Mild-to-moderate excessive daytime sleepiness was found in 42 (28.0%) patients, while severe excessive daytime sleepiness was found in 10 (6.7%) patients with epilepsy. The major risk factors associated with excessive daytime sleepiness included a greater number of drugs taken (p<0.001), seizure frequency (p=0.013), compliance with medication (p<0.001), use of topiramate (p=0.004), and use of valproic acid (p<0.001). Conclusion: The findings indicate a high occurrence of excessive daytime sleepiness among patients with epilepsy in Pakistan. A significant association was observed between excessive daytime sleepiness and a greater number of drugs taken, seizure frequency, compliance with medication, and use of topiramate and valproic acid. Keywords: Epilepsy, excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep disorders, anti-epileptic drugs, quality of life, Epworth sleepiness scale