Health-related quality of life among children with adenoid hypertrophy in Xi'an, China

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in 5-7-year-old children diagnosed with adenoid hypertrophy and the impact of adenoid hypertrophy on affected families.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional case-control study evaluating 5-7-year-old children with adenoid hypertrophy (n=195), 5-7-year-old healthy children (n=156), and associated caregivers (parents and/or grandparents). A Chinese version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scale was used to assess childhood HRQOL, and a Chinese version of the Family Impact Module (FIM) was used to assess the impact of adenoid hypertrophy on family members. HRQOL scores were compared between the children with adenoid hypertrophy and healthy children. In addition, a multiple step-wise regression with demographic variables of children and their caregivers, family economic status, and caregiver's HRQOL as independent variables were referenced to determine the factors that may influence HRQOL in children with adenoid hypertrophy.

Results: Children with adenoid hypertrophy showed significantly lower physical, emotional, social, and school functioning scores than healthy children (p<0.001 in all these dimensions). Caregivers for children with adenoid hypertrophy also scored significantly lower than caregivers for healthy children on physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and communication functioning (p<0.001 in all these dimensions). Caregivers for adenoid hypertrophy-affected children also exhibited significantly higher levels of worry than healthy children (p<0.001). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that children's age, children's relation with caregivers, caregiver's educational level, caregiver's own HRQOL, and the size of adenoid may all influence the HRQOL in children with adenoid hypertrophy (p<0.05).

Conclusions: The current data suggested that adenoid hypertrophy were associated with lower HRQOL in both children and their caregivers, and may negatively influence family functioning. In addition, caregivers' social characteristics may also significantly affect the HRQOL in children with adenoid hypertrophy.