Table 3:

Variables associated with reported stable or improved seizure control vs. worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic

Variable	Patients who reported no change or improved seizure control (146)	Patients who reported worsened seizure control (31)	p-value
Age – median (years)	48 (IQR 25)	44 (IQR 11)	0.231
Gender – female	67.1% (98)	66.7% (22)	0.840
Race / Ethnicity	40.4% Hispanic (59)	51.6% Hispanic (16)	0.542
	19.9% Black/African American (29)	22.6% Black/African American (7)
	11% White/Caucasian (16)	3.2% White/Caucasian (1)
	1.4% Asian (2)	0% Asian (0)
	13.4% Other (20)	16.3% Other (5)
	13.4% Not answered (20)	6.5% Not answered (2)
Duration of epilepsy in years (median)	16 (IQR 26)	12 (IQR 9)	0.062
Epilepsy type			0.524
Focal	78.1% (114)	87.1% (27)
Generalized	11.6% (17)	6.5% (2)
Unknown	10.3% (15)	6.5% (2)
Intractable Epilepsy	44.5% (65)	61.3% (19)	0.089
Number of anti-seizure medications (median)	1 (IQR 1)	2 (IQR 1)	0.178
Median average monthly seizure rate
2019	0 (IQR 0.25, range 0 - ≥10)	0.5 (IQR 2.42, range 0 - ≥10)	<0.001
Jan & Feb 2020	0 (IQR 0, range 0 - ≥10)	0.5 (IQR 3.1, range 0 - ≥10)	<0.001
Mar, Apr, May 2020	0 (IQR 0, range 0–7.5)	2 (IQR 6, range 0 - ≥10)	<0.001
Presumed COVID-19	9.6% (14)	12.9% (4)	0.829
Reported no change in seizure
control during acute infection
Typical seizure triggers
Stress	26.0% (38)	54.8% (17)	0.002
Poor sleep	10.3% (15)	22.6% (7)	0.059
Headache / migraine	5.5% (8)	19.4% (6)	0.009
Infection	2.1% (3)	6.5% (2)	0.180
Missed medications	19.2% (28)	12.9% (4)	0.410
Menstrual cycle / period	3.4% (5)	9.7% (3)	0.128
Other	19.2% (28)	22.6% (7)	0.666
I have no clear triggers	37.7% (55)	22.6% (7)	0.110
Believe fear of getting COVID-19 worsened seizures	5.5% (8)	61.3% (19)	<0.001
Increased / worsened stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic	50% (73)	80.6% (25)	0.002
Worse sleep due to the COVID-19 pandemic	41.8% (61)	48.4% (15)	0.275
Worse epilepsy care during the COVID-19 pandemic	12.3% (18)	38.7% (12)	<0.001
Difficulty obtaining anti-seizure medications	7.5% (11)	19.4% (6)	0.042
Patient canceled a Neurology appointment	20.5% (30)	9.7% (3)	0.369
Neurologist canceled an appointment	26% (38)	35.5% (11)	0.528
Completed a Neurology live video visit	21.9% (32)	25.8% (8)	0.735
Effective way to get epilepsy care: Yes	75% (24/32)	50% (4/8)	0.243
Completed a Neurology telephone visit	60.3% (88)	58.1% (18)	0.596
Effective way to get epilepsy care: Yes	77.3% (68/88)	66.7% (12/18)	0.626