title: Is functional dependence of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients determinant of the quality of life and burden of their caregivers?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between functional dependence and quality of life (QOL) in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients and burden and QOL in caregivers is not clear. This study investigated possible relationships between functional dependence/QOL of DMD patients and QOL/burden of caregivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 35 boys (6-17 years) and respective caregivers (above 21 years). Caregivers answered to World Health Organization Quality of Life and Zarit Burden Interview questionnaires. Patients were assessed with the Motor Function Measure and the Autoquestionnaire Qualité de vie Enfant Imagé. Spearman correlations and linear regressions were run to investigate relationships between the variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The occurrence of lower QOL and higher burden among the caregivers of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy was evidenced. The functional dependence of patients was not considered a determinant factor. Higher caregivers' burden was related to lower caregivers' QOL and to higher patients' ages.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Fonoaudiologia e Terapia Ocupacional, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Clara Drummond Soares
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: de Moura
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hanna Camila
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wutzki
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Fonoaudiologia e Terapia Ocupacional, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Callil
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Voos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Bernadete Dutra
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Umbertina Conti
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Fonoaudiologia e Terapia Ocupacional, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Hydee
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hasue
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult