Physical Activity, Anxiety, and Seizure Frequency in Epilepsy: The Results of the First 3 Months of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an extraordinary experience around the world; however, its effect on physical activity, anxiety, and seizure frequency remains unknown among epilepsy patients in the time of the national lockdown. We aimed to investigate whether the physical activity, anxiety, and seizure frequency were affected during the national lockdown of the first 3 months in patients with epilepsy.Methods:Forty-seven epilepsy patients participated in this study. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF; metabolic equivalent [MET]-min/week) was used to measure physical activity level. Patients’ anxiety was assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7; score). The patients answered the IPAQ-SF and GAD-7 questions through telephone interviews.Results:The total IPAQ-SF (MET-min/week) scores of patients decreased during the national lockdown compared to pre-lockdown period, while the daily sitting time (min/day) increased (p<0.001). According to the GAD-7 scores, 18 (38.3%) patients had minimal, and only 4 (8.5%) patients had severe anxiety during the lockdown. No changes in seizure frequency were reported by 44 (93.6%) patients.Conclusion:The presence of physical inactivity and anxiety due to the national lockdown in the time of COVID-19 pandemic can have a detrimental effect on the well-being of epilepsy patients. Patients should participate to the home-based physical activity programs to enhance both their mental and physical health.

Keywords

• anxiety
• coronavirus disease 2019
• epilepsy
• lockdown
• physical activity
• seizures