Sleep Quality in Patients with Epilepsy: Differences in Anxiety, Depression, and Clinical Characteristics

TL;DR

This study found that most epilepsy patients have poor sleep quality, which is linked to anxiety, depression, and certain seizure types.

Contribution

The study identifies specific clinical and psychiatric associations with sleep quality in epilepsy patients.

Findings

Poor sleep quality was present in 70.9% of patients and linked to insomnia, daytime sleepiness, depression, and anxiety.

Patients with generalized tonic–clonic seizures had significantly worse sleep quality.

Higher levetiracetam concentration was associated with better sleep, while higher lamotrigine was linked to worse sleep.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: People with epilepsy frequently complain of poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and insomnia. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate differences in anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as clinical characteristics, across groups defined by sleep quality in patients with epilepsy. Materials and Methods: Seventy-eight adults with epilepsy were assessed using standardized questionnaires for sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI), daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, ESS), insomnia severity (Insomnia Severity Index, ISI), and psychiatric symptoms (PHQ-9, GAD-7, and HADS). Demographic data (age and sex), seizure frequency and characteristics, use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and EEG findings were collected. Patients were divided into groups based on sleep quality scores, and comparisons were made regarding anxiety, depression, and selected clinical variables. Associations were analyzed using t-tests, chi-squared tests, and Spearman correlation coefficients. Results: Poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5) was present in 70.9% of patients and was significantly associated with insomnia, daytime sleepiness, depression, and anxiety symptoms (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Patients who had experienced generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCS) in the past year had significantly worse sleep quality compared to those without GTCS (p = 0.025). Clinical insomnia (ISI ≥ 15) was observed in 23.1% of cases and was significantly associated with the presence of seizures (p = 0.015). EDS was present in 19% of cases and was associated with depressive symptoms (p = 0.019). A higher concentration of levetiracetam was associated with better sleep quality, whereas a higher concentration of lamotrigine was associated with worse sleep quality (p = 0.024 for both). EEG abnormalities, seizure frequency, and duration of epilepsy were not associated with sleep quality. Conclusions: Poor sleep quality was reported in 70% of the study patients and was associated with increased insomnia severity, EDS, and psychiatric comorbidities. People with EDS were more likely to have higher levels of depression and anxiety. Patients who experienced GTCS within the past year were significantly more likely to report poor sleep quality. Insomnia was associated with older age and female sex. Seizure-free patients had less insomnia. Nevertheless, no associations were found between sleep evaluation scores and other demographic or clinical epilepsy characteristics.