Background We are doing a multicentre, randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a two-day Self-Management education course for epILEpsy (SMILE (UK)), which was developed in Germany (MOSES).

Methods We recruited participants attending epilepsy clinics in SE England, reporting 2 or more seizures in the prior year. The primary outcome is patient-reported quality of life. Secondary outcomes include seizure frequency, psychological distress, and stigma among other variables. This presentation describes important characteristics of participants at baseline.

Results Of 404 participants recruited, mean age was 42 years, 75% were of white ethnicity, and 46% were male. Epilepsy had been diagnosed a median of 18 years previously, 72% reported one or more seizures in the prior month, and 46% reported another significant medical and/or psychological condition. Psychological distress symptoms endorsed on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale suggest case or borderline case rates of Anxiety of 54%, and of Depression of 28%. The average epilepsy-specific quality-of-life (QOLIE-31) score was 66 (maximum 100).

Discussion This group of participants recruited via epilepsy clinics had chronic, poorly controlled epilepsy. About half reported other significant conditions and borderline or case-level symptoms of anxiety. The relationship between these and other characteristics will be presented.