Quality of life in children and adolescents with eosinophilic esophagitis

EoE symptoms and treatments place affected children at risk for reduced quality of life. Yet relatively little is known about the factors that affect health related quality of life (HRQoL) in youth with EoE. This study examined symptom burden and HRQoL in 267 children and adolescents with EoE. Pain catastrophizing was significantly related to both EoE symptom reports and HRQoL (p < .001). Further, children with significantly elevated psychological symptom reports experienced more symptom burden and worse HRQoL (p < .001). Effective health care for children with EoE includes addressing quality of life, psychological symptoms, and maladaptive pain cognitions when present, in addition to managing inflammation.