Zorica Živković

Health-related quality of life in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing condition that can have considerable effects on the patients’ quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to measure the health‐related QOL in patients with AD, using generic and specific instruments, to compare the scores obtained by different instruments and to verify the relationship between them. We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 132 outpatients with AD. To assess the QOL, Short Form 36 (SF‐36), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) were administered. In order to assess the disease severity of AD, we used the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and physician assessment of disease severity. Stressful life events during the last 12 months were assessed with Paykel’s Interview for Recent Life Events. Patients with AD had inferior social functioning and mental health scores compared with the general population. The correlations between the DLQI and SF‐36 were found for the mental components of the QOL. Increasing disease severity was associated with greater impairment in QOL in both, children and adults. Our study found the influence of the stressful life events on the role emotional of AD patients. These results demonstrate that AD influences health‐related QOL, especially in children. This study supports the decision to use both generic and skin‐specific instruments to assess the impact of AD on QOL.

Asthma School Program in children and their parents

BackgroundThis study was undertaken to analyze the clinical efficiency of Asthma Education Intervention (AEI, Asthma School) in children and their parents, a program was designed to produce acceptable asthma knowledge and to improve the treatment.MethodsThis study assessed the effectiveness of an educational intervention within 12 months after attending Asthma School. The study was designed as a population based cohort study. The project endorsed by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Educational Grant was launched in 2004 and finished in 2006, but the Asthma School continued working. Three hundred and two asthmatics recruited during hospital treatment of acute asthma exacerbation completed the study together with their parents. The intervention group of 231 asthmatics received full Asthma School program. The non-intervention group enrolled 71 asthmatics receiving usual instructions for asthma management. Clinical and educational outcomes were investigated immediately after completion of the program and 12 months later.ResultsSignificant achievements were found in the intervention group in asthma knowledge (baseline score 63%, 82% after 12 months, P<0.05), compliance (70% before, 90% after), and inhalation technique (20% before, 70% after). No change was found in the attitude and behavior regarding asthma prognosis in adolescent patients and parents.ConclusionThis study together with others clearly confirm the effectiveness of educational intervention for childhood asthma.

Respiratory allergies in childhood: Recent advances and future challenges

The burden of allergic airway diseases still represents a major health problem in childhood. Despite many different options are currently available for the diagnostic work‐up and management, the overall disease control in terms of impact on quality of life, morbidity and mortality, is not yet satisfactory. The extreme variability of individual risk factors and severity determinants may account for it. On the other side, the knowledge of the multifaceted allergy background could pave the way to primary prevention, early intervention and disease course modification. In fact, most of current research is focusing on the identification of biological and clinical predictive markers of allergy and asthma onset. This review aims at summarizing the latest achievements concerning the complex inter‐relation between genetic predisposition and environmental factors, and their impact on prevention strategies and early identification of at risk subjects. An update on the diagnostic and monitoring tools as well as an insight into the newest treatments options is also provided.

Prevalence of childhood asthma and allergies in Serbia and Montenegro

BackgroundThis is the first multi-center epidemiological study on the prevalence of childhood asthma in Serbia and Montenegro. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) phase 3 is a large epidemiological multinational and multicentric study on the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in children.MethodsThe 12-month period prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema was calculated using an ISAAC phase 3 questionnaire for two age groups: 6–7 years old and 13–14 years old.ResultsIn the 13 485 children from five study centers who responded to the questionnaire, the prevalence for childhood asthma ranged from 2.5% to 9.8%, for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (hay fever) from 4.6% to 21%, and for eczema from 8.2% to 17.2%. The prevalence of current wheezing was high in both age groups (16.5% and 12.4% respectively).ConclusionsThe prevalence of asthma is higher in 6–7 years old school children in the urban and largest cities of Belgrade and Nis, and in 13–14 years old children in Podgorica. The prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in the school children of Serbia and Montenegro seems similar to that of other countries in Central and South-Eastern Europe.

The Serbian Version of the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire in Daily Practice

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children and adolescents and a serious global health problem, thus severely affecting the health related quality of life (HRQL). This study was aimed at exploring the potential role of the Serbian, self administered version of the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) in the routine clinical evaluation of children suffering from bronchial asthma. One hundred Serbian children and adolescents (62 males and 38 females), aged 7 to 17 years, affected by allergic asthma, were enrolled. Each patient was evaluated once, and asthma control and severity were assessed, spirometry was performed, FeNO measurements were performed and the patients completed the self-administered version of the PAQLQ. PAQLQ differed according to asthma severity, NO variation and Asthma Control Test (ACT) score. No correlations were found between the questionnaires score and FEV1 percent of predicted. The Serbian version of the PAQLQ is a feasible aid to clinical measurements and used in routine practice gives a good insight into asthma control and severity.

P55 - Air-pollution and respiratory symptoms in children

Studies of school environment and related health diseases in pediatric population have been performed recently. The European Commission, through the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs, funded the study on Health Effects of School Environment held in different European countries. Levels of air pollutants can be several folds higher exposures are prolonged. Since children spend a large part of the day in school environment, nationwide initiatives to evaluate such indoor air quality (IAQ) were developed.