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Purpose: The study aims to describe the quality of life (QoL) in Omani children with epilepsy at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman., Methods: One hundred and one Omani children, with an age range from 5 to 18 years, diagnosed with epilepsy were enrolled in the study over 3 months. Descriptive epidemiology was used to characterize QoL in these children. QoL was measured using the PedsQL (4.0) questionnaire, a 23-item child and parent report questionnaire. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare mean QoL scores, and agreement between the QoL reports of children and parents was evaluated using Spearman's rho; while, Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to determine differences in subscale ratings., Results: Factors affecting QoL included family status, income level, social security coverage, type of treatment, seizure frequency, age of onset, and seizure-free duration in years. Children between 5 and 7 years and females, in general, were most affected, as reflected by the overall QoL subscale. Consistency between the children's self-reports and parent proxy reports on the PedsQL™ was moderate to low., Conclusion: Omani children with epilepsy have poor QoL, and their psychosocial function is severely affected. Therefore, QoL should be an important outcome measure in managing children with epilepsy rather than just seizure control., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: As treatment options for children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) continue to expand survival, evaluation of factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is becoming an important aspect for further improving clinical management. Although the general features of SCA are similar, factors influencing HRQoL within a country may differ from those of other countries, therefore this study aimed to explore factors affecting HRQoL in children with SCA living in the Sultanate of Oman., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which the PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease Module was used to evaluate the overall HRQoL in children with SCA. The socio-demographic data, clinical, and treatment outcomes were collected. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to identify predictors of HRQoL., Results: A total of 123 children with SCA, aged from 2 to 16 years were enrolled. The mean total HRQoL score was 52 ± 15% (9-94), where Worry II scale recorded the highest score. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the only predictors of total HRQoL score were hemoglobin F (B = 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.149-1.118, P = 0.009) and to a lesser degree white blood cell count (B = - 0.99, 95% CI - 1.761 to - 0.198, P = 0.01), independently of other study parameters such as age, gender, spleen status, and hydroxyurea therapy., Conclusions: Collectively, these findings indicated that hemoglobin F out-weighted white blood cell count in predicting HRQoL in Omani children with SCA. Recognition of these factors could help health professionals to develop effective strategies to improve the overall HRQoL in these young patients.

To improve treatment outcome in young patients with homozygous β-thalassemia, evaluation of factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is essential to develop clinical, counseling, social, and school support programs. This study was performed to evaluate HRQoL in Omani children with thalassemia who have not been previously evaluated. All patients with thalassemia (5 to 18 y) on regular hypertransfusion from August 2013 to February 2014 were included. Demographic-clinical information was obtained from electronic patient records. The 23-item Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 with 4 multidimensional scales and 3 summary scores was used to assess HRQoL by both patients and caregivers. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 19. Delayed age at diagnosis and delayed initiation of chelation were independently associated with a negative impact on total PedsQL scores; children with higher pretransfusion hemoglobin and lower serum ferritin levels scored better overall. Patients self-rated their HRQoL scores lower as compared with caregivers. Although physical health was more affected than psychosocial health function from both patients' (72.26±22.34 vs. 74.55±18.25) and caregivers' (69.91±19.86 vs. 78.83±18.45) perspective, school functioning domain (68.05±21.30 and 69.71±18.96) scored the lowest. Low ratings for physical health and school functioning highlight the importance of adequate transfusion together with the need for a multidisciplinary teamwork by health care providers, social workers, counselors, family members, and school authorities to provide psychosocial support to prevent mental issues and improve academic performance in these young patients.