Quality of life of children with tuberous sclerosis complex

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood 2019-10, Vol.104 (10), p.972-978
• Main Authors: Fong, Choong Yi, Ng, Kexin, Kong, Ann Nie, Ong, Lai Choo, Rithauddin, Mohamed Ahmad, Thong, Meow Keong, Ganesan, Vigneswari, Heng, Hock Sin, Teh, Chee Ming, Yahya, Norazni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Groups; Anatomy; Antiepileptic agents; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Behavior Rating Scales; behaviour; Caregivers; Child; Child Rearing; Childhood Needs; Children; Children & youth; Clinical significance; Convulsions & seizures; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developmental Delays; Epilepsy; Ethnicity; Families & family life; Family Income; Female; Health care; Hospitals; Humans; Hyperactivity; Interpersonal Relations; Learning Problems; Likert scale; Likert Scales; Malaysia; Male; Minority & ethnic groups; Multiple regression analysis; Neurology; Original article; Parent Background; Parents & parenting; Patients; Pediatrics; Physical Health; Predictor Variables; psychosocial health; QOL; Quality of Life; Raw Scores; Risk factors; Sample Size; Seizures; Sociodemographics; Statistical analysis; Stress; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Tuberous sclerosis; Tuberous Sclerosis - psychology; Validity
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2018-316394

AimEvaluation of impaired quality of life (QOL) of Malaysian children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and its possible risk factors.MethodCross-sectional study on 68 parents of Malaysian children aged 2–18 years with TSC. QOL was assessed using proxy-report Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) V.4.0, and scores compared with those from a previous cohort of healthy children. Parents also completed questionnaires on child behaviour (child behaviour checklist (CBCL)) and parenting stress (parenting stress index-short form). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine sociodemographic, medical, parenting stress and behavioural factors that impacted on QOL.ResultsThe mean proxy-report PedsQL V.4.0 total scale score, physical health summary score and psychosocial health summary score of the patients were 60.6 (SD 20.11), 65.9 (SD 28.05) and 57.8 (SD 19.48), respectively. Compared with healthy children, TSC patients had significantly lower mean PedsQL V.4.0 total scale, physical health and psychosocial health summary scores (mean difference (95% CI): 24 (18–29), 20 (12–27) and 26 (21–31) respectively). Lower total scale scores were associated with clinically significant CBCL internalising behaviour scores, age 8–18 years and Chinese ethnicity. Lower psychosocial health summary scale scores were associated with clinically significant CBCL internalising behaviour scores, Chinese ethnicity or >1 antiepileptic drug (AED).ConclusionParents of children with TSC reported lower PedsQL V.4.0 QOL scores in all domains, with psychosocial health most affected. Older children, those with internalising behaviour problems, of Chinese ethnicity or on >1 AED was at higher risk of lower QOL. Clinicians need to be vigilant of QOL needs among children with TSC particularly with these additional risk factors.