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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2021; 79(06): 521-526
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X-ANP-2020-0202
Article

High prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in children and adolescents at a tertiary epilepsy center

Alta prevalência de comorbidades psiquiátricas em crianças e adolescentes de um centro terciário de epilepsia
Maria Antonia Serra-Pinheiro 
1   Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.
,
Isabella D'andrea-Meira 
1   Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.
2   Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói RJ, Brazil.
,
Abraão Iuri Medeiros Angelim 
1   Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.
,
Fernanda Alves Fonseca 
1   Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.
,
Nicolle Zimmermann 
1   Instituto Estadual do Cérebro Paulo Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.
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ABSTRACT

Background: Epilepsy is highly comorbid with psychiatric disorders and a significant amount of the morbidity related to epilepsy is in fact a result of psychiatric comorbidities. Objective: To investigate the frequency of different psychiatric comorbidities in children with refractory epilepsy. Methods: We present preliminary observational data from a series of patients (n=82) examined in the psychiatric branch of a tertiary epilepsy center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Patients were classified as presenting autism spectrum disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, disruptive disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual development disorder, psychotic episode, dissociative/conversive disorders or others. We determined the frequency of each disorder, along with demographic data, medications prescribed, electroencephalogram findings and additional medical examinations and consultations. Results: The most common comorbidities in our sample were autism spectrum disorders and ADHD. Antipsychotics and selective serotonin uptake inhibitors were the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications. Conclusions: Knowledge about the prevalence of such comorbidities may provide more targeted interventions in Psychiatry and Psychology services linked to epilepsy centers.

RESUMO

Introdução: Epilepsia é altamente comórbida, com transtornos psiquiátricos, e uma parte significativa da morbidade da epilepsia se associa com os transtornos psiquiátricos comórbidos. Objetivo: Investigar a frequência de diferentes comorbidades psiquiátricas em crianças com epilepsia refratária. Métodos: Apresentamos dados observacionais preliminares de uma amostra de pacientes (n=82) avaliados no setor de Psiquiatria de um centro terciário de tratamento de epilepsia no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Pacientes foram classificados como apresentando transtorno do espectro autista, transtorno do humor, transtorno de ansiedade, transtornos disruptivos, transtorno do déficit de atenção de hiperatividade (TDAH), transtorno do desenvolvimento intelectual, episódio psicótico, transtornos dissociativos/conversivos e outros. Foram determinados frequência de cada transtorno, bem como dados demográficos, medicações prescritas e achados de eletroencefalograma. Resultados: As comorbidades mais comuns na nossa amostra foram transtornos do espectro autista e TDAH; antipsicóticos e inibidores seletivos da recaptura de serotonina (ISRS) foram as medicações psiquiátricas mais comumente prescritas. Conclusões: Conhecimento acerca da prevalência dessas comorbidades pode facilitar a instituição de intervenções mais precisas em serviços de Psiquiatria e Psicologia vinculados a centros de tratamento de epilepsia.

Keywords:

Epilepsy - Comorbidity - Children

Palavras-chave:

Epilepsia - Comorbidade - Crianças

Authors’ contributions:

MASP: writing, research design and patient's assessment. IDM, AIMA: writing and exams analyses. FAF: data collection and writing. NZ: writing, research design and data analyses.




Publication History

Received: 17 July 2020

Accepted: 20 September 2020

Article published online:
04 July 2023

© 2021. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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