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Pediatrics & Therapeutics

Pediatrics & Therapeutics
Open Access

ISSN: 2161-0665

+44 1478 350008

Abstract

Assessment of Quality of Life in Asthmatic Children and their Caregivers after Treatment with Omalizumab

Anna Sztafińska, Joanna Jerzyńska, Katarzyna Smejda, Włodzimierz Stelmach, Katarzyna Woicka-Kolejwa and Iwona Stelmach

Background: Omalizumab, a monoclonal anti-immunoglobulin E antibody, has been successfully used as a supplementary therapy to improve asthma control in children aged ≥ 6 years with severe persistent allergic asthma. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the quality of life in children with severe asthma and their caregivers, changes from baseline in FEV1 and daily inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) dose after treatment with omalizumab.

Methods: Participants were seen in the clinic at enrollment (visit 1), after 16 weeks (visit 2) and after 52 weeks (visit 3) of treatment with omalizumab. We evaluated lung function, ICS use and the quality of life with The Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) and The Pediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ).

Results: 19 children and caregivers were enrolled. Significant improvement in PAQLQ and PACQLQ scores were achieved by 47.4% of children and 52.6% of caregivers after 16-week and by 63.6% of children and all caregivers after 52-week of treatment. Significant positive correlation between PAQLQ and PACQLQ at first and at second visit was found, 63.3% of patients achieved reduction in ICS doses. We did not notice significant improvement in FEV1.

Conclusions: The improvement in quality of life in asthmatic children and adolescents observed after Omalizumab correlates with reduction in ICS use but not with FEV1. Parents' information was different from children observation, therefore both questionnaires for children and their caregivers should be used to evaluate quality of life in children.

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