Patient-reported outcome measures for allergy and asthma in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Patient perceptions of disease and healthcare are increasingly recognized as crucial, comparable to traditional objective measures.
• Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) capture these subjective experiences, offering unique insights, especially for pediatric populations.
• For minors, both parental and child perspectives are vital, providing complementary information to objective assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize existing evidence on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for allergy and asthma in children.
• To identify validated pediatric PROMs for specific allergic conditions and asthma.
• To highlight the need for research on the implementation and utility of these PROMs in routine clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of literature on pediatric PROMs for allergy and asthma.
• Identification and evaluation of validated instruments for conditions including atopic eczema, food allergy, allergic rhinitis, and asthma.
• Assessment of evidence regarding the deployment of these PROMs outside of research settings.

Main Results:

• Fewer validated PROMs are available for pediatric use compared to adults.
• Validated pediatric PROMs were identified for atopic eczema/dermatitis, food allergy, allergic rhinitis/rhinoconjunctivitis, and asthma.
• Evidence on the use of these PROMs in routine clinical settings is very limited.

Conclusions:

• There is a pressing need to report on the experiences of using PROMs for pediatric allergy and asthma in routine clinical care.
• Further research should focus on the acceptability, integration into clinical workflows, and responsiveness of pediatric PROMs to treatment changes.
• Understanding these aspects is crucial for effectively incorporating PROMs into standard pediatric allergy and asthma management.