Health-related quality of life of Spanish children with cystic fibrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate (1) the contributions of sex, age, nutritional status- and physical-fitness-related variables on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Spanish children with cystic fibrosis, and (2) the agreement on HRQOL between children and their parents.


METHODS
In 28 children aged 6-17 years, body mass index percentile, percentage body fat, physical activity, pulmonary function, cardiorespiratory fitness, functional mobility, and dynamic muscle strength were determined using objective measures. HRQOL was measured using the revised version of the cystic fibrosis questionnaire. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine the variables associated with HRQOL. To assess the agreement on HRQOL between children and parents, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated.


RESULTS
Girls reported worse emotional functioning, a higher treatment burden, and more respiratory problems than boys. Greater functional mobility appeared associated with a less favourable body image and more eating disturbances. Agreement on HRQOL between children and parents was good to excellent, except for the domain of treatment burden.


CONCLUSIONS
Sex and age were stronger predictors of HRQOL than nutritional status- or physical-fitness-related variables. Children reported a lower treatment burden than their parents perceived them to have.
Department of Biomedicine, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain. i.f.groeneveld@amc.nl
Iris F
IF
Groeneveld
Elena S
ES
Sosa
Margarita
M
Pérez
Carmen
C
Fiuza-Luces
Laura
L
Gonzalez-Saiz
Cristian
C
Gallardo
Luis M
LM
López-Mojares
Jonatan R
JR
Ruiz
Alejandro
A
Lucia
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010290:Parents; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011788:Quality of Life; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires