The research aimed to measure how children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) fared 12 months following the initial wave of the 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as during the initial 12 months of recovery. A prospective observational study with a single site took place in April 2020 and April 2021. During the initial countrywide quarantine due to COVID-19, children aged 10-18 with a confirmed diagnosis of IBD were included. Subtype, location, phenotype, disease activity, and inflammatory bowel disease treatment history were recorded at baseline and again after 12 months. Patients were given the IMPACT III and PROMIS Anxiety questionnaires to fill out.
The study involved 118 people, 54 (46%) of whom had Crohn’s disease (CD; median age: 15.5 years; range: 10.3-18; M/F: 68/50), and 64(54%) of whom had ulcerative colitis (UC; median age: 15.5 years; range: 10.3-18; M/F: 68/50). When comparing the median HRQoL before and after the 12-month quarantine for COVID-19, there was a significant drop after 12 months (T1: 76.7 vs T2: 72.8; P<0.001). T2: 22/108 (20.4%) vs T1: 12/118 (10%); P=0.02] found more children with active disease at 12 months compared with enrolment. Multivariate analysis showed a significant influence on HRQoL of quarantine period (P<0.001), female sex (P=0.016), biologic therapy (P=0.011), and active disease (P<0.001).
Health-related quality of life decreased after being quarantined for 12 months due to COVID-19. There may be unintended consequences of less effective illness control, as seen by the increased number of children with active disease 12 months after enrollment and its potential impact on HRQoL.
Source: journals.lww.com/jpgn/Abstract/2022/11000/Health_Related_Quality_of_Life_in_Pediatric.10.aspx
