Preventing depression in adolescents with epilepsy

Purpose. The goal of the work described in this article was to test the possibility of preventing depression among adolescents with epilepsy. Methods. Adolescents with newly diagnosed epilepsy (104 patients) were screened for depression. The risk for depression was increased in 30 (28.8%) patients (mean age 17.4, 60% females) who were randomized into two equal treatment groups: (1) cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBI) group and (2) treatment with counseling as usual (TAU) group. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Center for Epidemiological Study on Depression (CES-D) scale, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31) were administered at baseline and during the 9-month follow-up. Results. Initial BDI and HAMD scores for the two groups were comparable. Depression was diagnosed during follow-up in three patients in the TAU group. Subthreshold depressive disorder significantly improved at follow-up in the BCI group compared with the TAU group (P < 0.05). QOLIE-31 Total scores significantly correlated with both mood improvement and seizure-free state. (C) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.