title: Health-related quality of life in patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome at the transition between adolescence and adulthood.
abstract: Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by tics and co-morbid behavioural problems, affecting predominantly male patients. Tic severity typically fluctuates over time, with a consistent pattern showing improvement after adolescence in a considerable proportion of patients. Both tics and behavioural co-morbidities have been shown to have the potential to affect patients' health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in children and adults with persisting symptoms. In this study, we present the results of the first investigation of HR-QoL in patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome at the transition between adolescence and adulthood using a disease-specific HR-QoL measure, the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Quality of Life-Children and Adolescents scale. Our results showed that patients with GTS and more severe co-morbid anxiety symptoms reported lower HR-QoL across all domains, highlighting the impact of anxiety on patient's well-being at a critical stage of development. Routine screening for anxiety symptoms is recommended in all patients with GTS seen at transition clinics from paediatric to adult care, to implement effective behavioural and pharmacological interventions as appropriate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Baglioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardona
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, The Barberry National Centre for Mental Health, BSMHFT and University of Birmingham, 25 Vincent Drive, Birmingham, B15 2FG, UK. a.cavanna@ion.ucl.ac.uk.|Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, Institute of Neurology and University College London, London, UK. a.cavanna@ion.ucl.ac.uk.|School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston Brain Centre, Aston University, Birmingham, UK. a.cavanna@ion.ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrea E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cavanna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Gilles de la Tourette syndrome; Health-related quality of life; Tics