AUTHOR=Mariotti Sara , Valentin Damien , Ertan Deniz , Maillard Louis , Tarrada Alexis , Chrusciel Jan , Sanchez Stéphane , Schwan Raymund , Vignal Jean-Pierre , Tyvaert Louise , El-Hage Wissam , Hingray Coraline 

TITLE=Past Trauma Is Associated With a Higher Risk of Experiencing an Epileptic Seizure as Traumatic in Patients With Pharmacoresistant Focal Epilepsy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.669411

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.669411

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of traumatic experienced seizures (TES) and of postepileptic seizure PTSD (PS-PTSD) in patients with pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy and to explore the determining factors of TES.
Methods: We conducted an observational study enrolling 107 adult refractory epilepsy patients. We used the DSM-5 criteria of traumatic events and PTSD to define TES and PS-PTSD. We assessed all traumatic life events unrelated to epilepsy, general and specific psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life.
Results: Nearly half (n=48) of the 107 participants reported at least one TES (44.85%). Among these, one-third (n=16) developed PS-PTSD. TES group were more likely to experience traumatic events unrelated to epilepsy (p<0.001), to have generalized anxiety disorder (p=0.019) and to have specific psychiatric comorbidities, (e.g. interictal dysphoric disorder (p=0.024) or anticipatory anxiety of seizures (p=0.005)). They reported a severe impact of epilepsy on their life (p=0.01). The determining factors of TES according to the multifactorial model were the experience of trauma (p=0.008), a history of at least one psychiatric disorder (p=0.03) and a strong tendency toward dissociation (p=0.03).
Significance: Epileptic seizures may be a traumatic experience in some patients who suffer from pharmacoresistant epilepsy and may be the source of the development of PS-PTSD. Previous trauma unrelated to epilepsy and psychiatric history are determining factors of TES. These clinical entities should be explored systematically.