ARCH Lab recently published a paper titled “Convulsive Status Epilepticus in Children Recently Diagnosed With Epilepsy and Long-Term Health-Related Quality of Life”. The purpose of this study was to understand and outline the long-term impact of pediatric convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among children with a recent epilepsy diagnosis.

Children with newly-diagnosed epilepsy were recruited between 2004 and 2007 through a Canada-wide population-based study, the Health-Related Quality of Life Study in Children with Epilepsy Study and were followed over 10 years. Eligible children were 4-12 years of age at epilepsy diagnosis. HRQOL was reported by parents at multiple time points and was self-reported by adolescents and young adults in the long-term.

The results indicated lower parent-reported HRQOL in children with CSE two years after diagnosis. However, this difference was not apparent in the parent-reported responses during the 10-year follow-up. Results from the youth self-reports at the 10-year follow-up were similar to the parent reports, such that HRQOL was comparable between those with and without CSE.

These findings suggest that compromised HRQOL in the short-term after CSE may resolve over the long-term.