Research ArticleOriginal Articles
Open Access

Beyond Seizures: The hidden burden of fatigue in epilepsy

Alia MR. Fallatah, Malak R. Albadrani, Sarah A. Alsalman, Weam K. Almasuad, Abdulrahim M. Hamhom, Sumayah M. Almarshedy, Faisal A. Alsallom, Fawzya A. Bamogaddam, Majed H. Alhameed and Mubarak M. Aldosari
Neurosciences Journal October 2025, 30 (4) 278-285; DOI: https://doi.org/10.17712/nsj.2025.4.20250011

References

  1. 1.↵
    1. Beghi E
    . The Epidemiology of Epilepsy. Neuroepidemiology 2020; 54: 185-191.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  2. 2.↵
    1. Al Rajeh S,
    2. Awada A,
    3. Bademosi O,
    4. Ogunniyi A
    . The prevalence of epilepsy and other seizure disorders in an Arab population: a community-based study. Seizure 2001; 10: 410-414.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  3. 3.↵
    1. Mohamed H,
    2. Alanazi A,
    3. Alshammari T,
    4. Alshammari A,
    5. Alenezi O,
    6. Alruwili W, et al.
    Epilepsy in Saudi Arabia: Prevalence in different regions, causes, risk factors, and management: A systematic review. International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Phytopharmacological Research 2020; 10: 92-99.
    OpenUrl
  4. 4.↵
    1. Bahkali MA,
    2. Choudry AJ
    . Effects of epilepsy on children living in Riyadh, 2012. Epidemiology (Sunnyvale) 2019; 9: 371.
    OpenUrl
  5. 5.↵
    1. Al Rumayyan A,
    2. Alharthi A,
    3. Al-Rowaili M,
    4. Al-Mehmadi S,
    5. Altwaijri W,
    6. Alrifai T, et al.
    The Prevalence of Active Epilepsy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Neuroepidemiology 2023; 57: 78-89.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  6. 6.↵
    1. Feigin VL,
    2. Nichols E,
    3. Alam T,
    4. Bannick MS,
    5. Beghi E,
    6. Blake N, et al
    ; GBD 2016 Neurology Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of neurological disorders, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet Neurol 2019; 18: 459-480.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  7. 7.↵
    1. Meyer AC,
    2. Dua T,
    3. Ma J,
    4. Saxena S,
    5. Birbeck G
    . Global disparities in the epilepsy treatment gap: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organ. 2010 Apr;88(4):260–6. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.09.064147 PMID:20431789
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  8. 8.↵
    1. Hernandez-Ronquillo L,
    2. Moien-Afshari F,
    3. Knox K,
    4. Britz J,
    5. Tellez-Zenteno JF
    . How to measure fatigue in epilepsy? The validation of three scales for clinical use. Epilepsy Res 2011; 95: 119-129.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  9. 9.↵
    1. Téllez-Zenteno JF,
    2. Matijevic S,
    3. Wiebe S
    . Somatic comorbidity of epilepsy in the general population in Canada. Epilepsia 2005; 46: 1955-1962.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  10. 10.↵
    1. Kwon OY,
    2. Park SP
    . Interictal fatigue and its predictors in epilepsy patients: A case-control study. Seizure 2016 Jan; 34: 48-53.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  11. 11.↵
    1. Hamelin S,
    2. Kahane P,
    3. Vercueil L
    . Fatigue in epilepsy: a prospective inter-ictal and post-ictal survey. Epilepsy Res 2010; 91: 153-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2010.07.006 PMID:20708384
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  12. 12.↵
    1. Kwon OY,
    2. Ahn HS,
    3. Kim HJ
    . Fatigue in epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Seizure 2017; 45: 151-159.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  13. 13.↵
    1. Kanemura H,
    2. Sano F,
    3. Ohyama T,
    4. Sugita K,
    5. Aihara M
    . Association between seizure frequency and fatigue levels in children with epilepsy. J Paediatr Child Health 2018; 54: 1336-1340.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  14. 14.↵
    1. Vacca M,
    2. Fernandes M,
    3. Spanetta M,
    4. Placidi F,
    5. Izzi F,
    6. Lombardo C, et al.
    Depressive symptoms in patients with epilepsy and clinically associated features in a single tertiary center. Neurol Sci 2022; 43: 1965-1974.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  15. 15.↵
    1. Targum SD,
    2. Fava M
    . Fatigue as a residual symptom of depression. Innov Clin Neurosci 2011; 8: 40-43.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  16. 16.↵
    1. Kwon OY,
    2. Park SP
    . Depression and anxiety in people with epilepsy. J Clin Neurol 2014; 10: 175-188.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  17. 17.↵
    1. Fisher RS,
    2. Cross JH,
    3. French JA,
    4. Higurashi N,
    5. Hirsch E,
    6. Jansen FE, et al.
    Operational classification of seizure types by the International League Against Epilepsy: Position Paper of the ILAE Commission for Classification and Terminology. Epilepsia 2017; 58: 522-530.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  18. 18.
    1. Zena D,
    2. Tadesse A,
    3. Bekele N,
    4. Yaregal S,
    5. Sualih N,
    6. Worku E
    . Seizure control and its associated factors among epileptic patients at Neurology Clinic, University of Gondar hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. SAGE Open Med 2022; 10: 20503121221100612.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  19. 19.
    1. Kwan P,
    2. Brodie MJ
    . Early identification of refractory epilepsy. N Engl J Med 2000; 342: 314-319.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  20. 20.↵
    1. Kwan P,
    2. Arzimanoglou A,
    3. Berg AT,
    4. Brodie MJ,
    5. Allen Hauser W,
    6. Mathern G, et al.
    Definition of drug resistant epilepsy: consensus proposal by the ad hoc Task Force of the ILAE Commission on Therapeutic Strategies. Epilepsia 2010; 51: 1069-1077.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  21. 21.↵
    1. Al-Sobayel HI,
    2. Al-Hugail HA,
    3. AlSaif RM,
    4. Albawardi NM,
    5. Alnahdi AH,
    6. Daif AM, et al.
    Validation of an Arabic version of Fatigue Severity Scale. Saudi Med J 2016; 37: 73-78.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  22. 22.↵
    1. Krupp LB,
    2. LaRocca NG,
    3. Muir-Nash J,
    4. Steinberg AD
    . The fatigue severity scale. Application to patients with multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Arch Neurol 1989; 46: 1121-1123.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  23. 23.↵
    1. Kroenke K,
    2. Spitzer RL,
    3. Williams JB
    . The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med 2001; 16: 606-613.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  24. 24.↵
    1. Sun Y,
    2. Fu Z,
    3. Bo Q,
    4. Mao Z,
    5. Ma X,
    6. Wang C
    . The reliability and validity of PHQ-9 in patients with major depressive disorder in psychiatric hospital. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20: 474.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  25. 25.↵
    1. Chang BS,
    2. Lowenstein DH
    . Epilepsy. N Engl J Med 2003; 349: 1257-1266.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  26. 26.↵
    1. Ramezani M,
    2. Asadollahi M,
    3. Kashian E,
    4. Payandemehr P,
    5. Karimialavijeh E
    . Fatigue and its related factors in patients with epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizure: A cross-sectional study. SN Compr Clin Med 2019; 1: 781-785.
    OpenUrl
  27. 27.↵
    1. Gündoğdu A,
    2. Bolattürk ÖF,
    3. Aygül R,
    4. Akyürek F
    . The Relationship of Fatigue and Depression with Trace Element Levels in Epileptic Patients. Biol Trace Elem Res 2023; 201: 1135-1142.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  28. 28.↵
    1. Anand J,
    2. Suresh A,
    3. Mathew V,
    4. Gowri M
    . Quality of sleep, fatigue and adherence to antiepileptic medications among patients with epilepsy. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews 2023; 18: 814-824.
    OpenUrl
  29. 29.↵
    1. Yan S,
    2. Wu Y,
    3. Deng Y,
    4. Liu Y,
    5. Zhao J,
    6. Ma L
    . Risk factors for fatigue in patients with epilepsy. J Clin Neurosci 2016; 33: 134-137.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  30. 30.↵
    1. Akosile CO,
    2. Anomneze JU,
    3. Okoye EC,
    4. Adegoke BO,
    5. Uwakwe R,
    6. Okeke E
    . Quality of life, fatigue and seizure severity in people living with epilepsy in a selected Nigerian population. Seizure 2021; 84: 1-5.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  31. 31.↵
    1. Uijl SG,
    2. Uiterwaal CS,
    3. Aldenkamp AP,
    4. Carpay JA,
    5. Doelman JC,
    6. Keizer K, et al.
    Adjustment of treatment increases quality of life in patients with epilepsy: a randomized controlled pragmatic trial. Eur J Neurol 2009; 16: 1173-1177.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  32. 32.↵
    1. Getnet A,
    2. Woldeyohannes SM,
    3. Bekana L,
    4. Mekonen T,
    5. Fekadu W,
    6. Menberu M, et al.
    Antiepileptic Drug Nonadherence and Its Predictors among People with Epilepsy. Behav Neurol 2016; 2016: 3189108.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  33. 33.↵
    1. Rai D,
    2. Kerr MP,
    3. McManus S,
    4. Jordanova V,
    5. Lewis G,
    6. Brugha TS
    . Epilepsy and psychiatric comorbidity: a nationally representative population-based study. Epilepsia 2012; 53: 1095-1103.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
  34. 34.↵
    1. Weatherburn CJ,
    2. Heath CA,
    3. Mercer SW,
    4. Guthrie B
    . Physical and mental health comorbidities of epilepsy: population-based cross-sectional analysis of 1.5 million people in Scotland. Seizure 2017; 45: 125-131.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  35. 35.↵
    1. Kim M,
    2. Kim YS,
    3. Kim DH,
    4. Yang TW,
    5. Kwon OY
    . Major depressive disorder in epilepsy clinics: A meta-analysis. Epilepsy & behavior 2018; 84: 56-69.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  36. 36.↵
    1. Swailem SK,
    2. Bamogaddam FA,
    3. Al-Attas AA
    . The Prevalence of Depression in Patients With Epilepsy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Cureus 2024; 16: e55570.
    OpenUrl
  37. 37.↵
    1. Mubaraki AA,
    2. Sibyani AK,
    3. Alkhawtani RA,
    4. Alqahtani BG,
    5. Abu Alaynayn FK
    . Prevalence of depression among epileptic patients in Taif City, Saudi Arabia. Neurosciences (Riyadh) 2021; 26: 366-371.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  38. 38.↵
    1. Ettinger AB,
    2. Weisbrot DM,
    3. Krupp LB,
    4. Coyle PK,
    5. Jandorf L,
    6. Devinsky O
    . Fatigue and depression in epilepsy. J Epilepsy 1998; 11: 105–109.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
Back to top

In this issue

Print
Download PDF
Email Article
Citation Tools
Bookmark this article

Jump to section