Health-related quality of life determinants in Spanish children with eosinophilic esophagitis

To study the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its possible determinant factors in Spanish children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and their parents.

Multicenter observational cross-sectional study. The Spanish version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Eosinophilic Esophagitis Module was filled out by EoE patients aged 8-18 and their parents. Demographic, psychosocial, and clinical variables were studied. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify related factors of HRQoL.

A total of 279 children and their parents participated (72.7% males). 39.1% received swallowed corticosteroids, 35.5% proton pump inhibitors and 16.8% diet. 1.1% received other treatments and 7.5% received no treatment. Poor compliance to treatment was observed in 11.5% and 6.5% of patients were referred to mental health. The Total Scale Scores were 72.71 ± 17.50 and 75.62 ± 16.73 for children and parents, respectively. "Communication" was the dimension with the highest scores (82.14 ± 21.65 and 81.59 ± 24.13) while "Food and Eating" (48.92 ± 32.94 and 62.85 ± 28.78), and "Food Feelings" (53.55 ± 29.96 and 53.95 ± 27.78) had the lower scores. Patients and parents under dietary treatment showed lower scores than those under pharmacological treatment, 65.77 ± 16.96 versus 74.28 ± 16.96, p = 0.001 and 68.33 ± 17.32 versus 77.24 ± 15.97, p = 0.001, respectively. Factors associated with worse HRQoL scores were symptom frequency, diet, food allergies, and the need for mental health assistance.

The HRQoL of children and their parents was "good." However, diet, frequency of symptoms, food allergies, and the need for mental health care were the factors that had a negative impact on HRQoL of children with EoE.