Food Allergy Quality Of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form Research Articles

Psychometric properties of disease-specific health-related quality of life instruments for food allergy: A COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments-based systematic review.

Food allergies severely impact the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients and their caregivers (family or informal caregivers). Currently there is no comprehensive review to provide an overview and critical assessment of the instruments in the field. Six databases were searched from inception until 10 August 2023, and a combination of subject terms and free words was used to search the literature. We used the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments methodology (COSMIN) to evaluate the measurement properties of the instruments. Forty-one studies reported on ten eligible instruments. Based on COSMIN guidelines, one instrument was recommended for Grade A, and the remaining nine instruments were recommended for Grade B. The Grade A instrument identified, the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF), can help researchers assess the effectiveness of treatment for patients with food allergy and to understand the psychosocial impact of the disease on patients.

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PARENT BURDEN OF CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGY

Quality of life (QOL) questionnaires for parents of children with food allergies have been developed in the United States and Europe. However, no original Japanese QOL questionnaire has been developed till date. We aimed to develop an original questionnaire to evaluate the QOL in parents of children with food allergies in Japan. We collected QOL-related questions from parents of children with food allergies aged 0-15 years, and created a primary questionnaire. Responses to the primary questionnaire were obtained from the parents again, and question items were reduced using factor analysis to create a secondary questionnaire comprising eight items. In addition to the secondary questionnaire, responses to the Food Allergy QOL Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) Japanese version, Parent reported Health-Related QOL in children and adolescents (KINDL) and Health-related QOL (SF-8) were obtained from parents to assess the validity of the secondary questionnaire. A total of 407 parents completed all questionnaires. The secondary questionnaire scores were positively correlated with those of FAQLQ-PF and weakly negatively correlated with the KINDL and SF-8 mental component summary scores. Parents of children with food allergies with ≥3 culprit foods or severe reactions to daily foods, a history of anaphylaxis, and those carrying adrenaline autoinjectors scored higher and had lower QOL. The developed original questionnaire is a valid QOL questionnaire for Parents of children with food allergies.

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CHILDREN WITH FOOD ALLERGY REPORTED BY PARENTS

No questionnaire aimed at evaluating the quality of life (QOL) of children with food allergies has been developed in Japan. Therefore, this study was aimed at developing a Japanese version of a QOL questionnaire for children with food allergies to be responded to by their parents. A 59-question primary questionnaire was developed for parents of children aged 0 to 15 years who had food allergies. Responses to the primary questionnaire were collected, and question items were reduced using factor analysis. Then, a secondary questionnaire consisting of nine questions was developed. The secondary questionnaire, the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire - Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF), and the parent-reported questionnaire on health-related quality of life in children and adolescents (KINDL) were administered to parents of children aged 3 to 15 years who had food allergies. Overall, 342 parents completed all questionnaires. The QOL scores of the secondary questionnaire were significantly correlated to those of the FAQLQ-PF (r=0.765) and weakly correlated to those of the KINDL (r=-0.358). In addition, QOL scores were significantly worse in patients with a history of anaphylaxis, who were prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector, and who were allergic to hen's eggs, cow milk, or wheat. We were able to develop a parent-reported validated Japanese version of the QOL questionnaire for children with food allergies.

Quality of life in children with food allergies, psychiatric symptoms, and caregiving burden of their mothers.

The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of life in children with food allergies, the accompanying depression and anxiety disorders, and caregiving burden of their mothers. A total of 168 children with food allergy visiting our clinic and their mothers were included in the study group. The control group included 152 children who visited the healthy child follow-up clinic of our hospital and their mothers. Studying mothers' opinions, the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) was used for evaluating children, and the Beck's Depression Inventory, Beck's Anxiety Inventory, Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, San Diego Auto-questionnaire, and Zarit Caregiver Burden Scales were used for evaluating mothers. No differences were noticed between the study and control group regarding mean age and gender distribution (P > 0.05). In the study, the FAQLQ-PF total and subscale scores of children with food allergies were determined according to the opinions of their mothers, and scores tended to increase with age (P < 0.0001). In addition, it was determined that mothers of children with food allergies had higher levels of anxiety, depression, and caregiving burden than mothers of the control group (P < 0.0001). In order to develop a multidisciplinary approach for children with food allergies, we conceived as appropriate to inform their families about the difficulties of caregiving and psychosocial disorders that could develop over time. They also must be informed to take preventive measures as well as the medical aspects of their children's disease.

Psychometric parameters of food allergy quality of life during an allergen immunotherapy trial.

BackgroundThe Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire–Parent Form (FAQLQ‐PF) is a commonly used patient‐reported outcome measure in food allergy (FA) research. It was developed before FA treatment clinical trials were commonplace and is used as a secondary outcome measure in pivotal FA treatment trials. We examined the psychometric properties of the FAQLQ‐PF and its relevance to children with peanut allergy engaged in an epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) clinical trial.MethodsAnalysis was performed on 26 universally answered items of the FAQLQ‐PF, from assessments undertaken during the phase 3 PEPITES study (baseline, Month 12), which examined the safety and efficacy of EPIT for children with peanut allergy aged 4–11 years. Item response theory (IRT) was used to assess psychometric parameters of the FAQLQ‐PF (i.e., discrimination, difficulty, and information). Confirmatory factor analysis was also employed; reliability was assessed using McDonald's omega (ω) and Cronbach's alpha (α).ResultsA total of 23 of 26 items presented very high discrimination levels (>1.7), and all 26 fell within the recommended difficulty threshold (between −1.5 and 1.5). The items contributed a reasonable information level for their respective factors/subdomains. The measure also presented a marginally acceptable model fit for the 3‐factor structure (e.g., comparative fit index = 0.88, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.87) and good reliability levels across time points (ω and α > 0.90).ConclusionsHerein, we present a novel reanalysis of the FAQLQ‐PF items using IRT. The longitudinal performance of individual items and subscales was corroborated, and items with the highest discrimination were identified, showing that the tool is suitable for longitudinal measurements in FA treatment trials.

Mapping the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire Parent Form onto the Short‐Form Six‐Dimensions version 2

The Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) is the most widely used quality of life questionnaire in food allergy. The objective of this study was to develop a mapping algorithm to convert FAQLQ-PF scores into health state utilities. The Short-Form Six-Dimensions version 2 (SF-6Dv2) and FAQLQ-PF questionnaires were collected from an academic center oral immunotherapy referral cohort. Utility estimates were derived from the SF-6Dv2 using the food allergy preference set. Candidate mapping algorithm models were developed using seven regression methods starting from either the total average score, the average scores of each of the three domains or the individual item scores of FAQLQ-PF. The process was repeated twice, including only section A, common to all age groups, or including all age-applicable sections of the FAQLQ-PF. The mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) were used to select the best fitting model. An independent cohort from a previous national online survey was used for external validation. In the index cohort, 1000 of 1257 respondents had completed both questionnaires. The lowest MAE (0.0791) and RMSE (0.1020) were recorded when entering individual item scores in a categorical regression model. The model including only FAQLQ-PF section A was found to be most consistent when tested in the external validation cohort (n=248) (MAE of 0.0898). The FAQLQ-PF was mapped onto SF-6Dv2 utilities with good predictive accuracy in two independent cohorts. This will enable calculation of health utility for cost-effectiveness analyses in food allergy.

Adaptation, Translation and Validation of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF): The Malay Version.

Food allergy has a significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) of children and can be measured using The Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF). This study aimed to adapt, translate the FAQLQ-PF into Malay and determine the validity and reliability of the translated version. This cross-sectional questionnaire validation study was conducted among parents of children (0 to 12 years old) with food allergies across five sites in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The FAQLQ-PF-Malay underwent cross-cultural adaptation, translation, validation (content, face and construct) and reliability assessment. Exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency and test-retest reliability analyses were used to examine its construct validity and reliability. Out of 150 children, the majority were between the age of 7 to 12 years old (41%) and were female (81%). Three subscales were identified, which were: (i) social and dietary implication, (ii) food anxiety and (iii) emotional and physical impact. Four items were eliminated because of weak factor loadings. The Cronbach’s alpha for each subscale ranged from 0.88 to 0.94, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha of 0.95. The intra-class correlation coefficient ranged from 0.54 (95% CI: 0.10–0.77) to 0.97 (95% CI: 0.90–0.99). The 26-item FAQLQ-PF-Malay retained the three-factor structure of the original FAQLQ-PF. The FAQLQ-PF-Malay is a valid and reliable tool to assess the QoL of Malaysian children with food allergies.

Deriving health utility indices from a food allergy quality-of-life questionnaire.

BackgroundThe Food Allergy Quality‐of‐Life Questionnaire‐Parent Form (FAQLQ‐PF) is widely used to assess food allergy–specific health‐related quality of life (FAQL), but cannot be used directly in cost‐utility analyses, which require health state utility (HSU) scores. Currently, limited evidence is available regarding the HSU of food‐allergic children/adolescents. This study aimed to develop mapping algorithms from the FAQLQ‐PF onto HSU scores generated by generic, preference‐based, health‐related quality‐of‐life (HRQL) instruments.MethodsCaregivers of children aged 7 to 17 years with a clinician diagnosis of IgE‐mediated food allergy, recruited via Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia, completed an online FAQLQ‐PF questionnaire and proxy generic preference‐based pediatric instruments (Assessment of Quality of Life [AQoL]‐6D and Child Health Utility 9D [CHU9D]). Optimal statistical methods were based on series of goodness‐of‐fit statistics.ResultsMean FAQLQ‐PF total score, AQoL‐6D, and CHU9D utility scores of 238 food‐allergic children/adolescents were 3.49 (SD: 1.41), 0.78 (SD: 0.22), and 0.74 (SD: 0.22), respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficients of FAQLQ‐PF with AQoL‐6D and CHU9D were rho = −0.56 and rho = −0.45, respectively. Optimal mapping algorithms were generated from selected FAQLQ‐PF items, mapped onto AQoL‐6D or CHU9D utility scores, with AQoL‐6D demonstrating better performance.ConclusionsThis study generated mapping algorithms to help facilitate the use of FAQLQ‐PF for cost‐utility analyses, which are essential for health economic evaluation. External validation of the reported mapping algorithms is warranted.

Factors associated with outcome of egg allergy 1 year after oral food challenge: A good baseline quality of life may be beneficial.

Safely liberalizing the diet to include an allergenic food may accelerate resolution of food allergy. The outcome of liberalization, however, varies among patients. We conducted a prospective observational study to identify factors associated with outcome for egg allergy 1year after oral food challenge (OFC). We enrolled children <72months old who had egg allergy and underwent OFC for determination of the safe intake quantity of egg allergen. Each child's baseline clinical background was recorded. Caregivers used the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) to assess their children's QoL. Dietary advice based on the OFC result was provided to support safe egg consumption. At 1year after OFC, the quantity of egg each child safely consumed in daily life was surveyed. We classified the outcome as Successful (Group S) if the quantity increased during the 1year, or as Unsuccessful (Group U) if it did not. Factors associated with the outcome were investigated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 93 children were enrolled, and after 1year, 57 finished in Group S and 36 in Group U. The mean FAQLQ-PF score at baseline was significantly lower (ie, a better QoL) in Group S than in Group U. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a good QoL and absence of comorbid asthma or atopic dermatitis as factors predicting a favorable outcome. QoL may affect food allergy outcome. Intervention focusing on the QoL may promote outgrowing of food allergies.

Medical clown support is associated with better quality of life of children with food allergy starting oral immunotherapy.

The start of oral immunotherapy (OIT) for food allergy is a critical period in the treatment process, with a potential to influence patient quality of life (QOL) and subsequently treatment outcome. The association of medical clowning with QOL at OIT initiation was examined. Children aged 4-12years supported by a medical clown (MC) during the induction week of OIT for food allergy were studied. Children in the same age range starting OIT without the support of a MC served as controls. Parents of all children completed the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF), and children aged 8-12years completed the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Child Form (FAQLQ-CF). QOL scores of parents and children with and without a MC support were compared. Children with (n=88) and without (n=212) the support of a MC were comparable in demographics and clinical characteristics. The study group had a significantly lower single highest tolerated dose compared to controls (57±83 vs 162±274mg protein, respectively, P<.001). Parental perception of the QOL of children was not associated with a MC support (P=.81) but rather with previous reaction severity (P<.01). In contrast, the QOL of children aged 8-12years (n=119) was positively associated primarily with a MC support, total score 3.7±1.1 vs 4.6±1.3 (P<.001). While the perception of QOL of parents of children with food allergy at OIT initiation is mainly associated with previous reaction severity, the QOL of the children themselves is primarily positively associated with MC support.

Peanut allergy impact on productivity and quality of life (PAPRIQUA): Caregiver-reported psychosocial impact of peanut allergy on children.

Limited research has examined the impact of peanut allergy (PA) on children using validated instruments to assess psychosocial burden and the factors influencing burden. The PAPRIQUA study aimed to assess the caregiver-reported impact of living with PA on children's health-related quality of life (HRQL), correlations between PA severity and child's sex, and associations of caregivers' sex and anxiety with the proxy report of their child's HRQL and to identify significant predictors of a child's HRQL. A cross-sectional survey of caregivers of children with mild, moderate and severe PA, based on caregiver perception, was conducted in the United Kingdom. Participants were recruited through a survey recruitment panel; a maximum quota of 20% who rated their child's PA as mild was set to ensure population diversity; however, the quota was not required as few participants considered their child's PA mild. The survey, funded by Aimmune Therapeutics, included sociodemographic and clinical questions, the EQ-5D-Y, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) and Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM). One hundred caregivers of children with PA (aged 4-15years) completed the survey. Child's sex was not associated with proxy-reported burden. For younger children (aged 4-10years), there was no effect of PA severity; parents of older children (aged 11-15years) reported low to higher burden for their child on the EQ-5D-Y and FAQLQ-PF dependent upon PA severity. For all measures of child burden except the EQ-5D-Y, two or more reactions in the past 12months and parental anxiety significantly predicted higher levels of burden for the child (P<.05-P<.001). Experiencing a life-threatening event in the past 12months significantly predicted EQ-5D-Y proxy utility (P<.01). Caregivers report that children with PA experience high levels of psychosocial burden, particularly those with more severe PA and a reaction history. Interventions to decrease caregiver anxiety and reaction frequency may help reduce the child's burden. Self-report studies in children with PA would help confirm these findings.

Validation and Reliability of the Thai version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF).

Food allergy has an impact on the quality of life of both patients and caregivers. It is, therefore, important to have a native language survey to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQL) among food allergic children. To translate the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) to Thai language, and to validate this tool in Thai parents with food allergic children. The FAQLQ-PF was translated into Thai language according to WHO guideline. The FAQLQ-PF Thai version was then administered to the parents of food allergic Thai children aged 0-12 years. The FAQLQ-PF Thai version was then readministered to those same parents 10-14 days after they first completed this assessment tool. Internal consistency by Cronbach's α and test-retest reliability by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were assessed. The discriminant validity of the questionnaire was also evaluated. Ninety parents of participants answered the FAQLQ-PF Thai version. Of those, 9 parents (10%) incompletely answered the first questionnaire. The FAQLQ-PF Thai version showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α ≥ 0.799), but the test-retest reliability was only fair (ICC > 0.6). Factors that adversely affected the quality of life of Thai children with food allergy included age, presence of anaphylaxis, frequency of reactions, and the number of implicated foods. Patients with wheat allergy were negatively impacted in all domains of quality of life, whereas those with shellfish allergy had only emotional impact. The FAQLQ-PF Thai version is a reliable and valid tool for assessing HRQL in Thai children with food allergy.

Factors Affecting Food Allergy-Related Quality of Life From Parents' Perception in Turkish Children.

PurposeFood allergy (FA) affects the daily lives of children and parents in varying degrees. The Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the quality of life (QoL) of children from parents' perception. The aim of this study was to validate and determine the reliability of the Turkish FAQLQ-PF and to assess QoL in food-allergic children.MethodsChildren aged between 0 and 12 years and diagnosed with immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated FA for at least 1 month were enrolled. The English FAQLQ-PF was translated into Turkish according to the World Health Organization guidelines. The Food Allergy Independent Measure and the Turkish Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 were used for construct validity.ResultsOne hundred and fifty-seven patients participated. The median age of patients and FA duration were 2.4 years (1.2–5.2 years, interquartile-ranges) and 2 years (0.8–5.1), respectively. Ninety-six (61.1%) patients had anaphylaxis. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intra-class correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was good for all age groups of children (<4, 4–6, and 7–12 years). Patients with either asthma or anaphylaxis had worse scores than others. Total scores of FAQLQ-PF tended to increase with age. Patients aged 7–12 had the highest total scores among all patients (2.2±0.1, 3.0±0.2, and 3.3±0.3 for <4, 4–6, and 7–12 years, respectively, P<0.001, P for trend <0.001). Other factors causing the poor QoL were cow's milk allergy, sibling allergy, mother's age over 30 years, mother's high education level and lower number of persons in household.ConclusionsThe Turkish FAQLQ-PF is a valid and reliable scale. FA-related QoL was significantly worse with age. Coexistent asthma, anaphylaxis regardless of its severity, cow's milk allergy, sibling allergy and the older and educated mothers seem to poorly affect QoL.

Validation of a Spanish version of the EuroPrevall Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parental Form

BackgroundFood allergy can have a major impact on quality of life of children and their parents. Questionnaires have been developed to measure the impact of this disorder. We aimed to validate the EuroPrevall questionnaire on Food Allergy-Quality of Life Questionnaire, Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) and the Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM), translated into Spanish. MethodsThe internal consistency of the FAQLQ-PF and the FAIM, translated into Spanish (Spain) and completed by the parents of 74 children with IgE-mediated food allergy, were evaluated with Cronbach's alpha. To test construct validity of the FAQLQ-PF, its correlation with the FAIM was also calculated. To assess their discriminant validity, we compared the values of both depending on the number of offending foods and for children with and without anaphylaxis. ResultsThe values of Cronbach's alpha for the three domains in the FAQLQ-PF were over 0.9. The value of alpha for FAIM questions was below 0.6, which was attributed to the wording of one question. When this question was removed, alpha increased to over 0.70. There was a significant correlation between the FAQLQ-PF score and the FAIM. There were significantly poorer FAQLQ-PF scores in children with more food allergies and worse FAIM in those who had had anaphylaxis. ConclusionsThe Spanish version of the FAQLQ-PF had a good internal consistency, good construct validity and validity to discriminate patients with more food allergies and anaphylaxis. It can be used as a tool to evaluate and monitor the quality of life in families with food allergic children.

An Examination of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire Performance in a Countrywide American Sample of Children: Cross-Cultural Differences in Age and Impact in the United States and Europe

It is important to ensure that tools are valid and reliable in the context in which they are used. The development of age and country norms is part of this process. The primary aim of the present study was to examine the performance of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire - Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) in a countrywide American sample of children with food allergy. The secondary aim was to compare age differences in impact across 9 European countries. In a cross-sectional quantitative design, questionnaires were completed by the parents of 1029 food-allergic children (0-12 years). Participants were recruited via support groups and allergists. Data were analyzed by using multivariate analysis of variance and tests for internal consistency and validity. The average score was calculated for each age group in 15 studies in Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Israel, and the United Kingdom. The FAQLQ-PF has high convergent validity (child: r= 0.49, n= 695, P= .01; parent: r= 0.36, n= 696, P=.01) and discriminant validity, parent: t (719)= 4.67, P=.001 (anaphylaxis yes vs no); t (513), P= .009 (single vs multiple allergens). Internal consistency was excellent (r= 0.96). US health-related quality of life was worse than European health-related quality of life, as indicated by higher FAQLQ-PF scores in US samples. Burden increased with age in all populations. The FAQLQ-PF is appropriate for use in an American population. Findings will form the basis for further work in the development of an online manual with food allergy-normed age scores to allow for precise measurement, interpretation of scores, and comparison across countries and cultures, in clinical and research settings.

Validation and reliability of the Japanese version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire–Parent Form

BackgroundFood allergy (FA) is a heavy burden for patients and their families and can significantly reduce the quality of life (QoL) of both. To provide adequate support, qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the parents' QoL may be helpful. The objective of this study is to develop and validate a Japanese version of the Food Allergy QoL Questionnaire–Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF-J), an internationally validated disease-specific QoL measurement of the parental burden of having a child with FA. MethodsThe FAQLQ-PF and the Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM), an instrument to test the construct validity of the FAQLQ-PF-J, were translated into Japanese. After language validation, the questionnaires were administered to parents of FA children aged 0–12 years and those of age-matched healthy (without FA) children. Internal consistency (by Cronbach's α) and test-retest reliability were evaluated. Construct validity and discriminant validity were also examined. ResultsOne hundred twenty-seven parents of children with FA and 48 parents of healthy children filled out the questionnaire. The FAQLQ-PF-J showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.77) and test-retest reliability. Good construct validity was demonstrated by significant correlations between the FAQLQ-PF-J and FAIM-J scores. It discriminated parents of children with FA from those without. The scores were significantly higher (lower QoL) for parents of FA children with a history of anaphylaxis than those without, for those with >6 FA-related symptoms experienced than those with less FA-related symptoms. ConclusionsThe FAQLQ-PF-J is a reliable and valid measure of the parental burden of FA in children.

Life quality before and after the treatment of food allergy in infants

Objective To investigate the life quality in infants with food allergy before and after treatment by using of Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form(FAQLQ-PF). Methods The severity of eczema in 46 children with food allergy was determined by eczema area and severity index(EASI). The life quality of such infants was assessed by the FAQLQ-PF after 2-months treatment. Results (1)Among the 50 subjects, 46 (92%) responded to the tests; the average age was(4.78±1.48)months.Twenty-nine (63.04%) subjects had family history of allergic disease.Egg (73.91%) was the most common allergen, followed by cow milk(43.48%), fish and shrimp(8.70%), and carrot(4.35%). (2)The scores of EASI, FAQLQ-PF in children with food allergy before treatment were 13.20±12.86 and 2.12±1.33, respectively, the scores after treatment declined (2.02±4.40 and 1.33±1.08, respectively), there was a statistical significance(t=28.070, 4.014, all P<0.05). (3)Compared with pre-treatment, the scores of emotional impact subscale and food anxiety subscale declined, from 2.10±1.47 and 2.63±1.83 to 1.30±1.09 and 1.68±1.37, respectively, and there were statistically significant differences(t=5.204, 8.818, all P<0.05). (4)There was a positive correlation between the EASI and FAQLQ-PF scores(ρ= 0.205, P< 0.05). Conclusions Food allergy adversely affects the quality of life in infants.The poor life quality is associated with more severe symptoms.The life quality in infants and parents can be improved by standardized treatment Key words: Infant; Food allergy; Life quality

Translation and cultural adaptation to Portuguese of Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire‐Parent Form (FAQLQ‐PF)

Methods Cross-cultural translation was performed according to guidelines (Allergy 2010;65:290-295). Linguistic validation consisted in 3 steps: forward translation, backward translation and comprehensibility testing. Two independent translations were performed and a combined consensual version was obtained with an expert support. Subsequently, back-translation was performed and sent to the original author of FAQLQ-PF. After feedback, a consensual version was obtained and tested in parents of food allergic children by cognitive debriefing.

Health-related quality of life in children with perceived and diagnosed food hypersensitivity.

The few studies measuring health-related quality of life (HRQL) in food hypersensitivity (FHS) have found significantly reduced HRQL in patients and their families, particularly in the areas of family and social activities, emotional issues and family economy. One aspect that has not been studied is the effect of suspected FHS (food allergy/intolerance) vs. diagnosed FHS [based on a food challenge or a positive skin prick test (SPT) and good clinical history] on HRQL. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the HRQL in children with a proven diagnosis of FHS vs. those with reported FHS. We have utilized the 10-yr old follow-up cohort of the Food Allergy and Intolerance Research (FAIR) study from the Isle of Wight and assessed the child's HRQL with the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) which measures HRQL using four domains: food anxiety, emotional impact, social and dietary limitation. When comparing the two groups of children (proven FHS vs. perceived FHS), no difference in HRQL was found, although food anxiety showed a p-value of (p = 0.062). This was also the case when correcting for all confounding factors identified. We have found that having a clear diagnosis of FHS is not an independent predictor of HRQL. Future studies are required comparing two more similar groups. We also need to focus more on the effect of continuous input from the multidisciplinary team on HRQL and which particular factors of FHS management affect HRQL.

Duration of a cow-milk exclusion diet worsens parents' perception of quality of life in children with food allergies.

BackgroundIn Italy, rigorous studies obtained with specific and validated questionnaires that explore the impact of exclusion diets on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with food allergies are lacking. In this cross-sectional study, we wished to validate the Italian version of a disease-specific quality of life questionnaire, and assess the impact of exclusion diets on the HRQoL in a cohort of Italian children with IgE-mediated food allergies.MethodsChildren on an exclusion diet for ≥1 food were enrolled consecutively, and their parents completed the validated Italian version of the Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire–Parent Form (FAQLQ-PF) and Food Allergy Independent Measure (FAIM).ResultsNinety-six parents of children aged 0–12 years answered the FAQLQ–PF. The validity of the construct of the questionnaire was assessed by correlation between the FAQLQ–PF and FAIM–PF (r = 0.85). The Italian version of the FAQLQ had good internal consistency (Cronbach's α >0.70). Factors that mainly influenced the HRQoL were older age, severity of food allergy, and the duration of the cow milk-exclusion diet.ConclusionsThe FAQLQ–PF, validated in Italian, is a reliable instrument. Worse QoL scores were observed among older children, those with severe systemic reactions, and those with a prolonged cow milk-free diet. It is very important to consider the QoL assessment as an integral part of food-allergy management. These results emphasize the need to administer exclusion diets only for the necessary time and the importance of assessment of the HRQoL in these patients.