Physical activity in adults with epilepsy: clinical aspects and relationship with cognition and quality of life

Tedrus, Glória Maria de Almeida Souza; Leandro-Merhi, Vania Aparecida

ABSTRACT There are several factors associated with lower participation in regular physical activity (PA) in adult patients with epilepsy (PWEs).

Objective:

To assess the relationship between the regular practice of PA with clinical and cognitive variables and quality of life (QoL) in PWEs.

Methods:

Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire (HPAQ) was related to clinical variables, scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), on the Brief Cognitive Battery-Edu (BCB-Edu), on the Satisfaction Scale for Physical Activity (SSPA), and on the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE)-31 in 60 PWEs, with a significance level of p<0.05.

Results:

The PWEs had a mean age of 42.4±13.6 years, 50% of whom were female. Longer length of epilepsy correlated with lower PA in leisure time (Pearson correlation [r]= -0.276; p-value [p]=0.036). The occupational physical activity scores of the HPAQ correlated positively with perception (r=0.300; p=0.021), memory (r=0.381; p=0.003), semantic verbal fluency test (SVF) (r=0.427; p=0.001), and with the total score in the MMSE (r=0.327; p=0.012). The total HPAQ score correlated with the SVF (r=0.336; p=0.009) and with the MMSE (r=0.254; p=0.049). There was no correlation among the QOLIE-31, the HPAQ, and the SSPA.

Conclusions:

Longer duration of epilepsy was associated with the lower practice of PA. Physical activity was associated with better performance in aspects of cognition. There was no relationship between QoL and practice and satisfaction with PA, suggesting different psychosocial aspects involved.

RESUMO Existem vários fatores associados à menor participação em atividade física regular (AF) em pacientes adultos com epilepsia (PCE).

Objetivo:

Avaliar em PCEs a relação entre a prática regular de AF com as variáveis clínicas e cognitivas e com a qualidade de vida (QV).

Métodos:

Foi relacionado o Habitual Physical Activity Questionnaire (HPAQ) com as variáveis clínicas, escores no Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), no Brief Cognitive Battery-Edu (BCB-Edu), Satisfaction Scale for Physical Activity (SSPA) e no Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31) de 60 PCE, com nível de significância p<0,05.

Resultados:

Idade média 42,4±13,6 anos, 50% do sexo feminino. O maior tempo de epilepsia correlacionou-se com a menor prática de AF no lazer (Correlação de Person, r= -0,276; p=0,036). Escores da AF ocupacional do HPAQ correlacionaram-se positivamente com a percepção (r=0,300; p=0,021) e a memória (r=0,381; p=0,003) no teste de fluência verbal (SVF); (r=0,427; p=0,001) e com o escore total no MMSE (r=0,327; p=0,012). O escore total do HPAQ correlacionou-se com o SVF (r=0,336; p=0,009) e com o MMSE (r=0,254; p=0,049). Não houve correlação entre o QOLIE-31 com o HPAQ e a SSPA.

Conclusão:

A maior duração da epilepsia associou-se com a menor prática de AF. A AF associou-se com o melhor desempenho em aspectos da cognição. Não houve relação entre QV com a prática e a satisfação e a AF, sugerindo diferentes aspectos psicossociais envolvidos.