Development and testing of the quality of life in children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and validate a questionnaire that measures health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC).


METHODS
Prospective, observational case series.


METHODS
An initial list of 42 items was developed and administered to 30 children with active VKC (six girls and 24 boys; mean age, nine +/- two years). The 30 most significant items were selected and converted into questions on a three-step scale for validation in 41 children with active VKC (eight girls and 33 boys; mean age, 9.5 +/- 2.1 years). Twenty-two children also completed the generic KINDL questionnaire. Clinical signs were evaluated and scored and total sign scores (TSSs) were calculated. Validation was performed by factorial analysis and Pearson correlation. Internal consistency was computed by the Chronbach alpha on the extracted factors.


RESULTS
Factorial analysis extracted two factors with good internal consistency: symptoms (12 items; alpha = 0.89) and daily activities (four items; alpha = 0.77). Correlations of Quality of Life in Children with Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (QUICK) scores to KINDL scores were in the expected direction. Most patients reported itching (93%), burning (90%), redness (90%), the need to use eye drops (90%), tearing (83%), and photophobia (80%). The children's greatest concerns were limitations on going to the pool (71%), playing sports (58%), and meeting friends (58%). QUICK symptom scores were correlated significantly to conjunctival hyperemia (P < .001), secretion (P = .042), chemosis (P = .012), superficial punctate keratopathy (P < .001), and TSS (P = .010).


CONCLUSIONS
The QUICK questionnaire is a new, simple instrument to measure HRQoL in children with severe allergic conjunctivitis. This test is effective for the global evaluation of the impact of VKC on children's daily lives.
Sacchetti
Marta
M
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
Baiardini
Ilaria
I
Lambiase
Alessandro
A
Aronni
Silvia
S
Fassio
Omar
O
Gramiccioni
Claudia
C
Bonini
Sergio
S
Bonini
Stefano
S
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires