Title: Evaluation of Health-Related Quality of Life among Children Attending Asthma Clinic in Alexandria University Children's Hospital

Authors: Maged Mohamed Eissa, Ghada Farouk Elderiny, Amr Gamal Elbanna

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i6.49

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQL) among children attending asthma clinic in Alexandria university children's hospital.

Methods: 120 asthmatic children attending at Alexandria university children's hospital will undergo clinical examination and spirometric evaluation to determine their level of asthma control. The studied asthmatic children will be asked to answer the pediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire (PAQLQ) to evaluate their quality of life (QoL).

Results: The age of the studied children ranged from 7-14 years with a mean of 10.35±2.23 years. They were 50.8% males and 49.2% females. The majority (40 %) were of low socioeconomic status. Normal weight children were the majority representing 48.2%, while the obese ones were 25%. Well controlled patients were 60.0%, the partially controlled patients were 24.2% and the uncontrolled patients were 15.8%. The overall QoL score correlated well to the degree of asthma control. There was a significant positive correlation between FEV1 and overall PAQLQ score. Score of symptoms was the most affected score among children with different levels of asthma control. Level of asthma control, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic level and residence affected QoL significantly and considered as the main determinants to QoL in the studied children.

Conclusion: Asthma greatly affected the QoL of asthmatic children. Knowing the main determinants of the QoL in affected children helps to improve their QoL.

Degree of asthma control, socioeconomic status, residence and BMI are the main determinants of overall QoL score among the studied children. Improving these QoL determinants might help to improve QoL of these children.

Keywords: Asthma, Quality of life, Asthma control, Spirometry.

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Corresponding Author

Amr Gamal Elbanna

Demonstrator of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine,

Alexandria University