Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents after systemic sting reaction

• Main Authors: Piotr Brzyski, Ewa Cichocka-Jarosz, Izabella Tarczoń, Urszula Jedynak-Wąsowicz, Tomasz Tomasik, Grzegorz Lis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Rural Health 2019-03-01
• Series: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
• Subjects: health-related quality of life; children; adolescents; insect sting; Hymenoptera venom allergy; cross-sectional study
• Online Access: http://www.journalssystem.com/aaem/Health-related-quality-of-life-in-children-and-adolescents-after-systemic-sting-reaction,93747,0,2.html

Introduction and objectives Insect stings are the second trigger of anaphylaxis in children and adolescents, causing a potentially life-threatening reactions. Hence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important issue for Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA) patients. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the impact of HVA on young patients’ HRQoL, including their socio-demographic characteristics. Material and methods The study sample included 102 patients aged 8–17 (Mean 12.5 years, SD=3.0), who were under diagnosis or venom immunotherapy due to systemic reaction after an insect sting in one of the tertiary referential centers in Poland. They were mostly boys (70%), and mainly from rural areas (63%). HRQoL of studied patients was measured with the Children’s Hymenoptera Venom Allergy Quality of Life Scale, a questionnaire covering 6 dimensions: anxiety, caution, limitations, discomfort, support received from parents and a feeling of safety, each measured from 1 to 5. Independent predictors of HRQoL were estimated using the Generalized Linear Model. Results In the group of children being dermal reactors, girls reported a higher level of anxiety (B=1.17, 95%CI=(0.30;2.03), p=0.008). In the group of children with grade 2 it was the girls who reported lower anxiety (B=-1.33, 95%CI=(-2.38;-0.29), p=0.013). Boys treated longer than 3 years had their level of anxiety significantly lower than those studied at diagnosis (B=-0.65, 95%CI=(-1.23;-0.07), p=0.028). The feeling of safety was higher in children living in villages than in those living in towns (B=0.30, 95%CI=(0.03;0.56), p=0.031). Conclusions The gender, treatment duration and stage of anaphylactic reaction influenced level of anxiety. The level of feeling of safety was related to the place of living.