Quality Of Life in Children with Celiac Disease: A Cross-sectional Study

Background Celiac disease (CD) is a systemic autoimmune disorder due to immune response triggered by ingestion of gluten in the diet. Treatment with lifelong gluten-free diet may impact negatively on the health-related quality of life and may lead to psychological disturbances. The purpose of study was to evaluate quality of life, depression and anxiety in children with celiac disease. Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study was done between 2013 and 2014 at the Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic (Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad- Iran), patients with serology and biopsy-proven CD, on a gluten-free diet for at least one year, were included in this study and compared with non-celiac healthy children as controls. We used the questionnaire to investigate quality of life, anxiety and depression. Results There were statistically significant differences between the mean total anxiety (state, trait) scores and depression score in the celiac patients and control group. Correlations between state and trait anxiety and depression were statistically significant (P= 0.01, r= 0.35) and (P= 0.001, r= 0.52). Reverse correlations between quality of life of CD children and anxiety (state, trait) were statistically significant (P= 0.001, r= 0.51 and P= 0.02, r= 0.32). Mean total score of quality of life was not different in the two groups, but in the physical activity component, quality of life was better in CD patients (P=0.008). Conclusion In current study, anxiety and depression had a significant impact on the course of celiac disease.