Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) has become an increasingly important issue in the management of asthma and it is now often used to evaluate the effectiveness of antiasthma drugs. The healthcare should not only focus on the patient's survival or quantity of life, but also on the quality of the extended life. Objective: to assess impairment in quality of life (QOL) in asthmatic children and to determine the influencing factors.
Methods: Study of 230 outpatients with a wide range of asthma severity, aged 7-18 years, who were undergoing regular checkups in chest outpatient clinic in school health service, Assiut, compared with another 272 non asthmatic patients as a control group. Two questionnaires were used for each patient; asthma questionnaire to identify the signs and symptoms of asthma, other associated allergic diseases, its effect on life style of the patient and possible risk factors. Another one was to assess QOL using the Arabic version of St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Results: Bronchial asthma affected boys more than girls (62.2%and37.8%respectively). The mean age of asthmatic children was9.1±2.1years. Co morbid Conditions as eczema, allergic conjunctivitis, and allergic rhinitis were highly significant associated with asthmatic patients. About 40% diagnosed as uncontrolled asthma category based on their night awakenings alone, more than70%of the children based solely on their activity limitation and26.5% based solely on their daytime symptoms. Severe asthma reported in 98(42.6%) asthmatic children. Asthma affects quality of life of patient. There were significant differences between the two groups as regard Symptom, Activity, Impact and Total score (all P<0.0001) of St George's score. There was a negative correlation between overall asthma severity and quality-of-life score. Also, presence of allergic rhinitis, was strongly and negatively associated with the overall SGQLQ score (p=0.038). Also, Lower QoL was associated with school absences, younger females with asthma seemed to have lower quality of life compared to younger males with asthma (<10 years) and among patients associated with poorer adherence to treatment. Asthma affected all life style of the majority of patients (> 60-80%) as, Physical exercise limitation, Sleep disturbance, feel tired, Emotional function and School activities limitation.
CONCLUSIONS: Bronchial asthma significantly affect QOL of children, so reduce asthma severity and improve asthma symptom attempts to improve their QOL.