A STUDY ON THE SLEEP QUALITY IN PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY AND THEIR CO-SLEEPING FAMILY MEMBERS

Abstract

Caregiver burden and disturbed sleep in
patients with epilepsy (PWE) has been
well established. Recent studies show
that pediatric epilepsy significantly impacts
sleep patterns for the child as well
as the parents. Very few studies describe
the sleep quality of family members of
adult patients with epilepsy. Our study
aimed to assess the sleep quality in cosleeping
family members of adult patients
with epilepsy. This observational
study was conducted at the Institute of
Neurology, Madras Medical College,
Chennai on patients with epilepsy attending
the Neurology outpatient services.
Demographic details were recorded and
Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was
administered to the patients as well as
their co-sleeping family members. To assess
impact on the sleep of their children,
Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children
(SDSC) was used. We included 64
PWE (male-30, female-34) with mean
age of 28.07 years (range-13 to 55). The
mean duration of epilepsy was 6.92
years. 41 patients (64.06 per cent) coslept
with their
family members in the same bed, 19 (29.68
per cent) slept in the same room and the
rest slept alone. 17 (26.56 per cent) had co
-sleeping children in the same room or bed
whose SDSC showed mean T-scores of
59.94. Twenty seven patients (42.18 per
cent) showed decreased sleep quality with
PSQI scores more than 5. Interestingly,
58.33 per cent of the co-sleepers had PSQI
scores more than 5, which however when
compared with patients with epilepsy was
not statistically significant. The proximity of
the epileptic patient to the co-sleeper during
sleep time did not show any statistical
significance. Significant disturbances in
sleep quality of PWE and their co-sleeping
family members have been noted and may
be an important issue to be addressed
while managing patients with epilepsy and
their family.