Parent's report on oral health‐related quality of life of children with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scales are now widely used in children with cystic fibrosis (cwCF) which reflects the course of the disease. In this cross-sectional study, our primary aim was to compare the Pediatric Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (POQL) and Oral Health Score (OHS) between cwCF and healthy group. Our secondary aim was to evaluate the association between Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) colonization, pulmonary function test, OHS and POQL in cwCF. Methods:The study population (age ranging 6-14) included 55 cwCF followed at the Marmara University Division of Pediatric Pulmonology compared with 50 healthy peers. A survey consisted of general questions (age, sex, etc.) and the POQL instrument were filled by parents. The decayed, missing, and filled teeth for both primary (dft) and permanent dentition (DMFT) was detected according to WHO criteria. Data like current body mass index (BMI z score), colonization status with PA, predicted value for forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1pp), and any hospitalizations during the previous year were obtained from their medical.Differences between the groups were evaluated using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test with a significance level set at 0.05.Results: There was no significant difference between PA-colonized cwCF and healthy controls in DMFT (p = 0.916). For all domains of POQL (emotional function, social function, role function), scores of cwCF were significantly better than healthy controls (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between all domains of POQL scores in PA colonized and non-PA colonized cwCF' POQL scores (p > 0.05). Conclusion:Although POQL scores of cwCF were encouraging, dental caries prevention and regular follow-ups should be taken into consideration.

Oral health in individuals with cystic fibrosis: A cross-sectional study

“…In this context, knowledge of changes in oral health and the dental treatment given to patients have played an important role as they increase understanding about the disease and integrate adequate treatment, which significantly improves quality of life [9] . In addition, studies have shown contradictory results regarding the impairment of oral health in CF patients, such as caries, periodontal disease and changes in both salivary and dental enamel formation [10] .…”