Health-related quality of life in children at the diagnosis of vernal keratoconjunctivitis

BACKGROUND: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a bilateral, chronic, allergic condition mostly affecting children. Clinical evaluations may not necessarily reflect the impact of the disease on the patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to evaluate HRQoL in children at VKC diagnosis and to analyze correlations between HRQoL and clinical and laboratory variables.METHODS: We studied 5 to12 years old patients with VKC. Data on clinical history, instrumental eye evaluations, blood exams and Visual analogue scale (VAS) for the subjective symptoms were collected. HRQoL was assessed through a disease-specific validated Quality of Life in Children with Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (QUICK) Questionnaire.RESULTS: Seventy subjects were included in the analysis (Female/Male: 10/60; Tarsal/mixed VKC form: 36/34). Clinical severity of VKC according with Bonini scale was: 14 mild, 36 moderate and 20 severe. No significant difference was found concerning distribution of patient age, gender, history of allergic manifestations between tarsal and mixed VKC. A significant positive correlation was found between all QUICK scores and VAS scores, including different VAS subscale, while no significant correlation was found between QUICK scores and total signs scores, Schirmer test, and corneal thickness. The presence of active severe VKC was not associated with worse HRQoL.CONCLUSIONS: Our evidence shows that VKC patients experience impairment of HRQoL, especially in relation to the perception of symptoms independently of the ophthalmological changes found, and that QUICK questionnaire could be a useful tool to evaluate HRQoL in children with VKC which may improve patients' classification and management.