Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome: A Comparison with Published Data on Youth with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Organic Gastrointestinal Disorders

Abstract

To evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) and to compare child self-reports with those of their parents and with published reports of children with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), children with organic gastrointestinal disorders, and a healthy control group. Sixty-eight children aged 5-18 years with CVS confirmed in a gastroenterology clinic completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Eighty-two parents completed the parent-proxy PedsQL for children aged 2-18 years. These results were compared with published data for children with IBS, organic gastrointestinal disorders, and a healthy control group using ANOVA. Intraclass correlation was used to evaluate concordance between child and parent reports of HRQoL. HRQoL reported on the PedsQL by children with CVS was lower than that reported by children with IBS (P < .01) and healthy controls (P < .001), but did not differ from that reported by children with organic gastrointestinal disorders. Children with CVS also had lower HRQoL compared with healthy controls by parent-proxy report on the PedsQL (P < .001). Correlations between HRQoL reports by parents and children were moderate to good (intraclass correlation coefficients, 0.504-0.805; P < .01). Duration of CVS episodes, delay in CVS diagnosis, and number of school days missed due to CVS were associated with lower parent-rated HRQoL (P = .01). Children with CVS reported lower HRQoL compared with those with IBS, and both parents and children reported lower HRQoL compared with healthy controls. Parent and child ratings of HRQoL converged. Improved recognition of CVS and school support might help mitigate the impact of CVS on HRQoL.