title: Duration of a cow-milk exclusion diet worsens parents' perception of quality of life in children with food allergies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Italy, rigorous studies obtained with specific and validated questionnaires that explore the impact of exclusion diets on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with food allergies are lacking. In this cross-sectional study, we wished to validate the Italian version of a disease-specific quality of life questionnaire, and assess the impact of exclusion diets on the HRQoL in a cohort of Italian children with IgE-mediated food allergies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children on an exclusion diet for ≥1 food were enrolled consecutively, and their parents completed the validated Italian version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) and Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six parents of children aged 0-12 years answered the FAQLQ-PF. The validity of the construct of the questionnaire was assessed by correlation between the FAQLQ-PF and FAIM-PF (r = 0.85). The Italian version of the FAQLQ had good internal consistency (Cronbach's α >0.70). Factors that mainly influenced the HRQoL were older age, severity of food allergy, and the duration of the cow milk-exclusion diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FAQLQ-PF, validated in Italian, is a reliable instrument. Worse QoL scores were observed among older children, those with severe systemic reactions, and those with a prolonged cow milk-free diet. It is very important to consider the QoL assessment as an integral part of food-allergy management. These results emphasize the need to administer exclusion diets only for the necessary time and the importance of assessment of the HRQoL in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Service of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy, "Sapienza", University of Rome, Rome, Italy. luciana.indinnimeo@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Indinnimeo
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Vittori
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zicari
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Castro
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tancredi
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lais
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duse
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations