Evaluation before and after pranlukast administration with the QOL questionnaire (revised version 2001) for pediatric patients with bronchial asthma and their parents or caregivers

We conducted a longitudinal investigation with the QOL questionnaire (revised version 2001) before and after the 4-week-administration of a leukotriene receptor antagonist pranlukast. A significant improvement in the or = 4 yrs group at week 2. Under these conditions, the overall QOL score, physical domains and mental domains, significantly improved in both the or = 4 yrs group. Overall, a slight correlation was observed between ratio changes in QOL scores and differences in symptom scores. However, no correlation was found in part of patients, suggesting that the QOL questionnaire allows measurement of mental changes in the patients themselves and their parents or caregivers for therapeutic effects which cannot be determined with ordinary physical findings only. In "event present" group, a significant difference in physical and mental domains was revealed by the comparison of QOL scores before and after administration. And furthermore in "event absence" group, the p-value for physical domain and mental domain was 0.0505 and 0.0912 in the or = 4 yrs group, respectively. The above results led us to consider the QOL questionnaire (revised version 2001) useful for routine medical care. Furthermore, pranlukast was considered useful for improvement not only of physical symptoms of bronchial asthma but also of the patient's QOL, although the placebo effects in this open trial must be considered.