Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 3, 2025
Methodology for Sputum Induction and Laboratory Processing
Published on: December 17, 2017
Quality of life in children with asthma compared to healthy children: a case-control study
Tina Eslambeik1, Ali Pourvali2, Yazdan Ghandi2
1School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
Insights
Children with asthma experience a lower quality of life compared to healthy peers. Factors like SABA use and symptom severity negatively impact their health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Asthma affects over 300 million globally, with increasing prevalence.
- Poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children correlates with poorly controlled asthma.
- Assessing HRQOL is crucial for understanding the impact of asthma on children's well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and compare factors associated with HRQOL in children with asthma versus healthy controls.
- To identify specific asthma-related factors impacting children's quality of life.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 50 children with asthma and 50 matched healthy controls (ages 8-12).
- Health-related quality of life assessed using the PedsQL questionnaire.
- Demographic data, including age, sex, and family income, collected via questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Children with asthma had significantly lower PedsQL scores compared to healthy children (81.63 vs. 89.58).
- Most PedsQL subscales, excluding social functioning, were significantly lower in asthmatic children.
- Short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) use, nocturnal symptoms, and asthma severity were negatively associated with HRQOL.
Conclusions:
- Asthma is associated with a significant reduction in health-related quality of life in children.
- Specific asthma management aspects and symptom burden directly impact children's quality of life.
- Further research should explore interventions to improve HRQOL in pediatric asthma patients.
Objective:
Asthma is a chronic condition characterized by episodic wheezing, cough, and shortness of breath resulting from airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation. Over 300 million people are affected worldwide, and its prevalence is increasing by 50% every decade. Assessing the quality of life in children with asthma is fundamental, as consistently poor health-related quality of life is associated with poorly controlled asthma. This study is aimed to evaluate and compare factors associated with HRQOL between healthy controls and children with asthma.
Methods:
In the current case-control study, 50 children aged 8-12 years with asthma (cases) enrolled at outpatient hospital clinics by a trained pediatric allergist/immunologist (A.P.) and matched with 50 healthy controls by age and sex. All enrolled subjects were interviewed utilizing the PedsQL questionnaire to assess health-related quality of life; also, patient demographics, including age, sex, and family income status, were obtained from a questionnaire.
Results:
A total of 100 children comprising 62 males and 38 females with a mean age of 9.63 ± 1.38 years, participated in this study. The average score of children with asthma was 81.63 ± 9.38, and the average score for healthy participants was 89.58 ± 7.91. We found that asthma was associated with a significant drop in health-related quality of life in this sample.
Conclusions:
The results indicated that the PedsQL score and its subscales, except social functioning, were significantly higher in children with asthma compared to healthy ones. Also, SABA use, nocturnal symptoms, and asthma severity are negatively related to the health-related quality of life.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include:
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:30Asthma-IV: Nursing Management
First, in...