title: Predictors of health-related quality of life of European food-allergic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although food allergy has universally been found to impair HRQL, studies have found significant differences in HRQL between countries, even when corrected for differences in perceived disease severity. However, little is known about factors other than disease severity which may contribute to HRQL in food-allergic patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify factors which may predict HRQL of food-allergic patients and also to investigate the specific impact of having experienced anaphylaxis and being prescribed an EAI on HRQL.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 648 European food-allergic patients (404 adults, 244 children) completed an age-specific questionnaire package including descriptive questions. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to develop models for predicting HRQL of these patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For adults, the prediction model accounted for 62% of the variance in HRQL and included perceived disease severity, type of symptoms, having a fish or milk allergy, and gender. For children, the prediction model accounted for 28% of the variance in HRQL and included perceived disease severity, having a peanut or soy allergy, and country of origin. For both adults and children, neither experiencing anaphylaxis nor being prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector (EAI) contributed to impairment of HRQL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, food allergy-related HRQL may be predicted to a greater extent in adults than in children. Allergy to certain foods may cause greater HRQL impairment than others. Country of origin may affect HRQL, at least in children. Experiencing anaphylaxis or being prescribed an EAI has no impact on HRQL in either adults or children.
authors: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.|University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Saleh-Langenberg
authors: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.|University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: N J
authors: NJ
authors: Goossens
authors: University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands.|Department of General Practice, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: B M J
authors: BM
authors: Flokstra-de Blok
authors: University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Kollen
authors: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.|Department of Paediatric Allergy, Martini Hospital, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: G N
authors: GN
authors: van der Meulen
authors: Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: T M
authors: TM
authors: Le
authors: Department of Dermatology/Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: A C
authors: AC
authors: Knulst
authors: Department of Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Jedrzejczak-Czechowicz
authors: Department of Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Kowalski
authors: Faculty of Economics and Sociology, Lodz University, Lodz, Poland.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Rokicka
authors: Faculty of Economics and Sociology, Lodz University, Lodz, Poland.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Starosta
authors: Department of Allergy, University Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRICYS, Madrid, Spain.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: de la Hoz Caballer
authors: Department of Allergy, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Vazquez-Cortés
authors: Department of Allergy, University Hospital Ramón y Cajal, IRICYS, Madrid, Spain.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Cerecedo
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Research Unit, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Barreales
authors: Ambulatorio di Allergologia, Clinica San Carlo, Paderno Dugnano, Italy.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Asero
authors: Department of Allergy, Landspitali, University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Clausen
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Clinical Investigation Unit, Cork University Hospital, University College, Cork, Ireland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: DunnGalvin
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Clinical Investigation Unit, Cork University Hospital, University College, Cork, Ireland.
authors: J O' B
authors: JO
authors: Hourihane
authors: Division of Allergy, Department of Chest Diseases, University Hospitals, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Purohit
authors: Allergy Department, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.|Center for Pediatrics and Child Health, Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: N G
authors: NG
authors: Papadopoulos
authors: Department of Allergy, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fernandéz-Rivas
authors: Food Safety and Consumer Behaviour, Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands.|Food and Society Group, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Frewer
authors: Department of Respiratory Epidemiology and Public Health, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Burney
authors: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.|University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: E J
authors: EJ
authors: Duiverman
authors: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergy, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.|University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, GRIAC Research Institute, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors: A E J
authors: AE
authors: Dubois
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005602:France; D006115:Greece; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland; D007494:Ireland; D007558:Italy; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009426:Netherlands; D011044:Poland; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013566:Sympathomimetics; D004837:Epinephrine
keywords: Europe; epinephrine auto-injector; food allergy; food allergy quality-of-life questionnaire; health-related quality of life