Table 2 Epilepsy-specific PRO instruments

ABNAS

Aldenkamp-Baker Neuroassessment Schedule

An instrument to measure patient perceived cognitive side effects of AED treatment.

Total score and 6 subscale scores:

24

No recall period

Four point scale ranging from ‘no problem’ to ‘a serious problem’

[24–28]

1. Fatigue

2. Slowing

3. Memory

4. Concentration

5. Language

6. Motor coordination

Attack Symptom Measure

An instrument to measure ictal symptoms that would typically be associated with panic disorder.

Total score and five sub-scales:

26

During their attacks

Two options indicating the absence or presence of the symptom

[29]

1. Autonomic arousal symptoms

2. Chest and abdomen symptoms

3. Mental state symptoms

4. General symptoms

5. Cognitive symptoms

BPSE

Bonner Psychsoziale Skalen fur Epilepsie

A self-report questionnaire designed to evaluate the patient’s areas of illness-related psychosocial problems and cognitive-behavioural variables.

20 subscales in six areas:

87

No recall period in example items reviewed

Analogue ratings of between 0 to 6. Scales include Never to Always or Not at all to Extremely and primarily focus on frequency of cognitions or behaviour

[30]

1. Impairment to daily life

a. Physically

b. Activity/capability

c. Relations and family

d. Emotional/mood

e. Independence

f. Problem-solving/coping

2. Environmental experiences

a. Positive

b .Negative

c. Present emotions/moods

3. Attitude to illness/seizures

a. Helplessess

b. External attribution

c. Internal attribution

4. Relatives’ reaction to seizures

a. Calming down/relief

b. Punishment

c. Distraction

5. Activities

a. Home/family

b. Social

c. Cultural

6. Influences on seizure occurrence

a. Personal/others

b. Situational

EFA concerns index

Epilepsy Foundation of America concerns index

A HRQL measure for patients with epilepsy, covering concerns relating to affective enjoyment, general autonomy, seizure recurrence, family burden and lack of understanding.

Ratings are summed to produce a Concerns Index Score.

20

Past 4 weeks

Five point scales ranging from ‘not at all concerned’ to ‘extremely concerned’ or ‘none of the time’ to ‘all of the time’

[31–33]

EPSES

Epilepsy Psycho-Social Effects Scale

An instrument to determine the social effects of epilepsy and measure psychosocial functioning.

Total weighted score and 14 subscale scores:

42

No recall period

Five point scale ranging from ‘almost always or always’ to ‘never’

[34]

1. Attitude towards accepting attacks

2. Fear of having seizures

3. Fear of stigma in employment

4. Lack of confidence about the future

5. Lack of confidence about travelling

6. Adverse reaction on social life

7. Adverse reaction on leisure pursuits

8. Change in outlook on life/self

9. Difficulty communicating with the family

10. Problems with taking medication

11. Distrust of the medical profession

12. Depression or emotional reactions

13. Feeling of increased social isolation

14. Lethargy/lack of energy

-

EPI-QOL

A HRQL assessment instrument for adults with epilepsy.

Total score and six subscale scores:

46

Past two weeks and now

Five point scale ranging from ‘very frequently’ to ‘not at all’.

[35]

1. Physical functioning

2. Emotional wellbeing

3. Cognitive functioning

4. Social functioning

5. Seizure worry

6. Medication effects

ESES

Epilepsy Self-Efficacy Scale

An instrument to measure self-efficacy in regards to epilepsy management.

Total score.

33

No recall period

Ten point scale ranging from ‘I cannot do at all’ to ‘Sure I can do’

[36, 37]

ESI-55

Epilepsy Surgery Inventory 55

An instrument to measure HRQL in epilepsy surgery patients.

Weighted total score, three composite scores (Physical, mental and cognitive role) and eleven subscale scores:

55

Various today/last week/last year/4 weeks

Various response formats. (‘strongly agree’ to strongly disagree’, ‘often’ to ‘not at all’, yes/no)

[38, 39]

1. Emotional wellbeing

2. Role limitations due to emotional problems

3. Energy/fatigue

4. Social function

5. Pain

6. Physical function

7. Role limitations due to physical problems

8. Health perceptions

9. Cognitive function

10. Role limitations due to memory problems

11.Overall quality of life

ICI

Ictal Consciousness Inventory

A quantitative assessment of the level of awareness and content of ictal consciousness.

Two sub-scale scores:

20

During a single seizure

Three point scale: ‘no’; ‘yes, a bit (yes, vaguely)’; ‘yes, much (yes, clearly)’.

[40]

1. Level of consciousness (ICI-L)

2. Content of consciousness (ICI-C)

IES

Impact of Epilepsy Scale

Developed to assess the impact of epilepsy and antiepileptic drug therapy on an individual’s relationship with friends and family, social life, employment, health, self-esteem, plans for the future, and standard of living.

Total impact score.

8

No recall period.

Four point scale ranging from ‘not at all’ to ‘a lot’

[41, 42]

LAEP

Liverpool Adverse Events Profile

An instrument to measure total side effects burden of a medical regimen. It was developed to evaluate the most common negative side effects reported by patients taking AEDs. The AEP evaluates the interiactal state. It's widely used alone and is also part of the Liverpool Battery.

Total score.

19

Past 4 weeks

Four point scale ranging from ‘never a problem’ to ‘always or often a problem’

[43–49]

Space to rate up to 3 additional AEs.

LSSS

Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale 2.0 (2001)

A scale designed to quantify patient’s own perceptions of seizure severity.

Weighted most severe ictal effects score.

12

Past 4 weeks

Various scales referring to the content of each question ranging from 4 to 6 options. For example ‘I always feel sleepy’ to ‘I never feel sleepy’

[17, 44, 50–53]

NDDI-E

Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy

An instrument to detect depression in epilepsy patients.

Total score.

6

Past two weeks

Four point frequency scale ranging from ‘always or often’ to ‘never’.

[54]

NEWQOL

Quality of Life in Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy

An instrument to measure aspects of quality of life postulated as being important for patients recently diagnosed with epilepsy.

Eight subscale scores and single item scores:

93

Varies from 'How you are now' to 'In the last year'

Various response formats including 4 and 5 point scales ranging from ‘no problem’ to ‘a serious problem’ or ‘severely restricted’ to ‘not restricted at all’

[25]

1. anxiety

2. depression

3. social activities,

4. symptoms,

5. locus of control/mastery,

6. neuropsychological problems (subscales of fatigue, memory, concentration, motor skills, reading),

7. social stigma*, worry

8. work limitations.

Several single-item measures:

•general health

•number of seizures

•social limitations

•social support

•ambition

•limitations

•health transition

•general limitations

Perceived Limitations Scale

A measure of the constraints that patients with epilepsy might experience including the sense of vulnerability to the physical consequences of seizures.

Total score.

5

No recall period

Four point scale ranging from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’

[55]

Perceived Stigma Scale

A measure of the extent to which people with epilepsy feel they are victims to prejudice, including the extent to which individuals are treated differently and inability to change the views of others.

Total score.

6

No recall period

Four point scale ranging from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’

[55]

PESOS

Performance, subjective evaluation and socio-demographic data

A test-battery for assessing the severity of epilepsy, epilepsy related quality of life, restrictions in daily life and psychosocial problems.

Separate scores for each instrument in the battery:

69

Various recall periods

Various response options

[56]

1. Restrictions in daily life^

2. Epilepsy related fear^$

3. Stigma

4. Emotional adaptation

5. Problems at work

6. Problems at school

7. Problems with parents

PNS

Portland Neurotoxicity Scale

An instrument to measure commonly experienced adverse events associated with AEDs.

Total score and two subscale scores:

15

Past few weeks

Nine options ranging from ‘no problem’ to ‘severe problem’

[57]

1. Cognitive toxicity

2. Somatomotor toxicity

QOLIE-10

Quality of life in epilepsy 10

A brief measure of overall quality of life for patients with epilepsy.

Total score and three subscale scores:

10

Past 4 weeks

Various 5 point scales including ‘not at all‘to ‘a great deal’ and ‘not at all fearful’ to ‘extremely fearful’

[58, 59]

1. Epilepsy effects

2. Mental health

3. Role functioning

Alternatively scores are calculated for the 7 domains of the QOLIE-31, although for the QOLIE-10, 5 of the 7 subscales are scored from single items.

QOLIE-31

Quality of life in epilepsy 31

Overall quality of life for patients with epilepsy.

Total weighted score and seven subscale scores:

31

Past 4 weeks

Various response formats including five and six point scales ranging from ‘very fearful’ to ‘not fearful at all’ or all the time’ to ‘none of the time’

[44, 59–63]

1. Seizure worry

2. Overall quality of life

3. Emotional well-being

4. Energy/fatigue

5. Cognitive functioning

6. Medication effects

7. Social functioning

QOLIE-89

Quality of life in epilepsy 89

Overall quality of life for patients with epilepsy

Total weighted score and 17 subscale scores:

89

Past 4 weeks

Various response formats including yes/no or 5 point scales ranging from ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’ or ‘all the time’ to ‘none of the time’

[44, 60–67]

1. Seizure worry

2. medication effects

3. health perceptions

4. health discouragement

5. work/driving/social function

6. language

7. attention/concentration

8. memory

9. overall QOL

10. emotional wellbeing

11. role limitations: emotional

12. role limitations: physical

13. social isolation,

14. social support

15. energy/fatigue

16. physical functioning

17. pain.

SEALS

Side Effect and Life Satisfaction Inventory

A self-report questionnaire designed to measure satisfaction with AED therapy.

Total score and five subscale scores:

38

Past week

Four point scale ranging from ‘never’ to ‘many times’.

[68–71]

1. Cognition

2. Dysphoria

3. Tiredness

4. Temper

5. Worry

SHE

Subjective Handicap of Epilepsy

Measures patient’s subjective handicap of epilepsy based on the WHO concept of handicap. It is recommended for use in studying the long-term consequences of medical, psychosocial and surgical interventions in epilepsy.

Six subscale scores:

32

Past 6 months, except for the change scale which is the last year

Various 5 point scales. For example, ‘Much better’ to ‘Much worse’ or ‘Very often’ to ‘never’.

[72]

1. Work and activities

Some responses are optional based upon the patient’s situation.

2. Social and personal

3. Physical

4. Self-perception

5. Life satisfaction

6. Change

SIDAED

Assessing side effects of AED treatment

An instrument to assess the duration and severity of adverse events that are possibly AED related.

Total score.

46

No recall period

Four point severity scale ranging from ‘no problem’ to ‘serious problem’ and a three point duration scale ranging from ‘since a few weeks’ to ‘half a year or longer’.

[73–77]

Adverse events can also be grouped in 10 categories

1. General CNS

2. Behaviour (increased irritability)

3. Depressive symptoms

4. Cognitive function

5. Motor problems and coordination

6. Visual complaints

7. Headache

8. Cosmetic and dermatological complaints

9. Gastrointestinal complaints

10. Sexuality and menses

SSQ

Seizure Severity Questionnaire

An instrument designed to assess seizure severity as a treatment response. The measure asks about events before, during and after a seizure and covers bother, severity and frequency of seizures.

Three subscale scores:

22

Past 4 weeks

Various response formats. Format is primarily seven point scales referring to frequency, ranging from ‘never’ to ‘always’, bother, ranging from ‘no bother at all’ to ‘very bothersome’ and severity ‘very mild’ to ‘very severe’, There are also yes/no responses.

[78]

1. Seizure severity

2. Overall assessment

3. Change after alteration of treatment

WPSI

Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory

Provides absolute and relative estimates of psychosocial functioning.

Eight subscale scores:

132

No recall period

Yes/no responses reflecting self-perceived feelings and actions.

[79–81]

1 .Family background

2. emotional adjustment

3. interpersonal adjustment

4. financial status

5. adjustment to seizures

6. medicine

7. medicinal management

8. overall psychosocial functioning