Changes in pediatric health-related quality of life in cystic fibrosis after IV antibiotic treatment for pulmonary exacerbations.

Intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy for pulmonary exacerbations (PE) has been shown to improve pulmonary functioning for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF); however, little is known about its effects on pediatric health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This prospective study assessed the impact of IV treatment of a PE on generic and CF-specific HRQOL for children and adolescents with CF. Participants included 52 children and adolescents with CF experiencing a PE (M (age) = 13.6 years; 54% males; M(FEV(1%)) predicted = 58.8%). HRQOL, pulmonary functioning, and body mass index were assessed before and after IV antibiotic treatment. Results of this prospective, observational study indicated significant improvements on CFQ-R Respiratory (M (change score) = 11.7; 95% CI = 6.3-17.1; p < .0001) and Weight (M (change score) = 15.9; 95% CI = 7.9-23.8; p < .0001) scales. The CF-specific measure was more sensitive to changes in HRQOL than the generic instrument. These data suggest that CF-specific HRQOL improves with treatment for a PE with IV antibiotics. The noted statistically and clinically significant changes in the CFQ-respiratory scale indicate that the measure may be beneficial to pulmonary health care teams.