Quality of life in children managed for extrahepatic portal venous obstruction.
OBJECTIVE
There are no studies on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO). The present study evaluated the QOL in children with EHPVO, prevariceal and postvariceal esophageal variceal eradication, and postsurgery in comparison with healthy controls.


METHODS
Children with EHPVO and variceal bleeding were divided into 3 groups: group A, before variceal eradication (n = 50); group B, after variceal eradication (n = 50); and group C, after surgery (n = 12). Group D comprised healthy children (n = 50). Clinical details and investigations were recorded. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory parent-proxy HRQOL questionnaire was used for assessment of QOL.


RESULTS
Compared with controls, patients with EHPVO in groups A, B, and C had lower median QOL scores in physical, emotional, social, and school functioning health domains. Esophageal variceal eradication had no significant effect on QOL (median total QOL score pre- and postvariceal eradication of 87.5 vs 86.3). Increasing size of spleen (mild 92.5, moderate 88.2, and severe 76.2; P < 0.001), presence of hypersplenism (90 vs 73.7, P = 0.001), and growth retardation (90 vs 82.5, P = 0.04) caused significant reduction of the total QOL score. On multivariate regression analysis, splenic size and growth retardation were found to be independent predictors that affect the QOL. After surgery, a trend toward improvement in physical, psychosocial, and total QOL scores was present, but it was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with EHPVO have a poor QOL that is not affected by variceal eradication. Splenomegaly and growth retardation significantly affect the HRQOL. A trend toward improvement of QOL scores is observed in the postsurgery group.
Krishna
Y Radha
YR
Department of Gastroenterology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Yachha
Surender Kumar
SK
Srivastava
Anshu
A
Negi
Deepa
D
Lal
Richa
R
Poddar
Ujjal
U
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000150:complications; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011169:Portal Vein; D011788:Quality of Life; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications