ArticleEpilepsia open2017
Understanding the burden of focal epilepsy as a function of seizure frequency in the United States, Europe, and Brazil.
Article in Epilepsia open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.
- Determinants of health-related quality of life of patients with focal epilepsy: A systematic literature review.Epileptic disorders : international epilepsy journal with videotape · 2025Pooled it
- Systematic literature review of the humanistic and economic burden of focal epilepsy and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in adults.Epilepsia open · 2024Pooled it
- Immunomodulatory interventions for focal epilepsy.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- What does it mean to live with epilepsy? Burden of illness from the patient perspective.Epilepsia open · 2026Article
- Article
- The Medical Burden of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy in an Outpatient Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital: A Prospective Study Based on Real-World Evidence.European journal of neurology · 2025Article
- Thalamocortical hodology to personalize electrical stimulation for focal epilepsy.Nature communications · 2025Article
- The humanistic burden of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis on patients and care-partners in the United States.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Multiple Sclerosis and Seizures: Clinical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Correlations.Brain and behavior · 2025Article
- The humanistic burden of immunoglobulin A nephropathy on patients and care-partners in the United States.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Brivaracetam use in clinical practice: a Delphi consensus on its role as first add-on therapy in focal epilepsy and beyond.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2024Article
- Acute Treatment Patterns, Migraine Burden, and Healthcare Resource Use in People With Migraine: Results From the OVERCOME (EU) Observational Study.Pain and therapy · 2024Article
- Efficacy, tolerability and safety of add-on third-generation antiseizure medications in treating focal seizures worldwide: a network meta-analysis of randomised, placebo-controlled trials.EClinicalMedicine · 2024Article
- Population norms in France with EQ-5D-5L: health states, value indexes, and VAS.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2023Article
- [Epilepsy and inequality: demographic description and analysis of the difficulty in accessing advanced resources in a population in a small health area].Revista de neurologia · 2023Observational
- Impact of headache frequency and preventive medication failure on quality of life, functioning, and costs among individuals with migraine across several European countries: need for effective preventive treatment.The journal of headache and pain · 2023Article
- Relationships between headache frequency, disability, and disability-related unemployment among adults with migraine.Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy · 2023Article
- The burden of epilepsy and unmet need in people with focal seizures.Brain and behavior · 2022Review
- Economic and social cost of epilepsy in Poland: 5-year analysis.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2021Article
- Using the Medication Adherence Reasons Scale (MAR-Scale) to identify the reasons for non-adherence across multiple disease conditions.Patient preference and adherence · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: To understand the current burden of focal epilepsy (FE) as a function of seizure frequency. Methods: Patients were identified from the United States (2011, 2012, and 2013), five European countries (EU; France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom) (2011 and 2013), and Brazil (2011 and 2012) National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS), a nationally representative, Internet-based survey of adults (18+ years). The NHWS collected data on respondents' quality of life (QoL), health utilities, productivity loss, and healthcare resource utilization. Indirect and direct costs were calculated from the literature. Altogether, 345 of 176,093 (U.S.A.), 73 of 30,000 (United Kingdom), 53 of 30,001 (Germany), 53 of 30,000 (France), 41 of 12,011 (Spain), 37 of 17,500 (Italy), and 71 of 24,000 (Brazil) respondents self-reported a diagnosis of FE. Results: Many respondents (U.S.A.: 56.2%; 5EU: 41.6%; Brazil + 5EU: 40.5%) reported persistent seizures (≥1 per year). Over 60% to just over 71% of respondents with FE were treated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). In the United States, seizure frequency was associated with hospitalizations, indirect costs (ages 18-60), and total direct costs. For the 5EU and Brazil + 5EU, seizure frequency was associated with physical QoL, health utilities, activity impairment, and emergency room (ER) visits. Additional associations were observed for the 5EU on hospitalizations, indirect costs (ages 18-60), ER visit costs, and total direct costs and for Brazil + 5EU on absenteeism, overall work impairment, and provider visits. Costing was not performed for Brazil + 5EU. Significance: Around half of the patients had persistent seizures despite most taking an AED in this 2011-2013 dataset. The results support the hypothesis that reducing seizures can improve productivity and reduce resource utilization and associated costs. Regional differences may reflect differences in healthcare systems and selected patient populations. Overall, the results suggest that additional treatment options are needed to improve seizure control and reduce related costs.
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