title: Long-term quality of life in children after open airway surgery for laryngotracheal stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term health related quality of life (HRQoL) in a cohort of children surgically treated for laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of children between 4 and 18 years at follow-up completed the Child Health Questionnaire Parent Form (CHQ-PF50). Children between 11 and 18 years at follow-up completed the Child Health Questionnaire Child Form (CHQ-CF87). Biographical and pre-operative data were extracted from the hospital records. Post-operative measurements consisted of the Bruce treadmill test and pulmonary function testing (PFT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-four parents completed the CHQ-PF50; twenty-one children completed the CHQ-CF87. The CHQ-PF50 was significantly worse than the norm population on the subscales physical functioning, role functioning: emotional/behavior, general health perceptions, family activities, parental impact: emotional, and time. CHQ-CF87 was significantly worse than the norm population on physical functioning and better on mental health. After multivariate analysis, presence of co-morbidities and glottic stenosis are the most important pre-operative factors for worse scores on general health. As post-operative measurements, the Bruce treadmill test and peak expiratory flow (PEF) correlate well with HRQoL physical subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At long-term follow-up after treatment for LTS, deficits in HRQoL may still exist. Presence of co-morbidities and glottic stenosis are important negative factors for long-term HRQoL. The Bruce treadmill test and peak expiratory flow on pulmonary function testing correlate well with physical subscales on HRQoL. A long-term multidisciplinary follow-up with assessment of HRQoL is advised in patients treated for LTS.
  
  
  METHODS
  2B, individual prospective cohort study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: b.pullens@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pullens
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Intensive Care Unit, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dulfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Intensive Care Unit, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C M P
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Buysse
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hoeve
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Timmerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Intensive Care Unit, Erasmus Medical Center, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K F M
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Joosten
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Children; Cricotracheal resection; Health related quality of life; Laryngotracheal reconstruction; Laryngotracheal stenosis; Surgical results