Background: To measure the quality of life by using the Standardized Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire(PAQLQ(S)) in children with asthma and to determine the association of the Childhood Asthma Control Test(c-ACT) and Global Initiative for Asthma(GINA) criteria of asthma control with the PAQLQ(S) domains. Methods: This study was planned in a cross-sectional design. All consecutive children between the ages 7-11 years who had been followed up at least one year with a diagnosis of asthma were enrolled. Children filled out PAQLQ(S). The levels of asthma control were defined by c-ACT and GINA criteria of asthma control. Results: Of the total 120 children, the median(%25-75) PAQLQ(S) and c-ACT scores were 4.90(1.3) and 17.9(4.8). All children had quality of life impairments except four. According to c-ACT, 41.7% of children were controlled; 58.3% of them were uncontrolled. PAQLQ(S) scores were found to be correlated with both c-ACT scores(p<0.001, r=0.612). The c-ACT score was more significantly correlated with the symptom domain of PAQLQ(S)(r=0,667, p<0,001). A more significant positive correlation was found between c-ACT and the duet score of activity and emotional function(r=0.930; p<0.001). Conclusion: Asthma affects the quality of life in children. PAQLQ(S) scores decrease significantly when asthma is out of control. PAQLQ(S) is more significantly associated with c-ACT than GINA criteria. It would be useful in clinical practice if c-ACT or GINA criteria can be improved to cover quality of life, at least the part of the quality of life related to the symptoms or the activity limitations and emotional functions.

Abstract Background: There has been no trial evaluating the psychopathology in breastfeeding mothers of infants with food allergy (FA). Objective: To investigate the effect of dietary elimination on maternal psychopathology, specifically stress/anxiety and mother-to-infant bonding and explore the importance of sociodemographic features on these variables. Methods: Breastfeeding mothers following an elimination diet due to FA in their children aged 1-to-12 months were compared with the healthy controls. Physician-diagnosed FA group were divided into IgE-, non-IgE-mediated and infants with some minor symptoms which were not enough to make the diagnosis of FA were classified as Indecisive symptoms for FA group. Mothers completed standardized questionnaires including Symptom Checklist 90R, Beck Depression/Anxiety Inventories (BDI/BAI), Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (Bonding). Results: Of 179 mother-infants, 64 were healthy, 89 were FA, 16 were indecisive symptoms for FA. The mean age of the mothers and infants were 31.1±4.7 years and 6.3±3.6 months. The physician diagnosed FA groups had higher scores for anxiety (p=0.008), anger (p=0.042), depression (p<0.001), obsession (p=0.002), phobia (p=0.008), somatization (p=0.002) and general symptom index (GSI) (p=0.001), BDI (p<0.001), BAI (p=0.008) and Bonding [attachment (p=0.001), anger (p=0.019) and total (p=0.036)] than the healthy. The indecisive symptoms for FA group had a similar score pattern to physician-diagnosed FA except interpersonal sensitivity, BDI and attachment. Conclusion: Breastfeeding mothers of infants with FA were anxious, depressive and had many psychopathologies which affected bonding. Interventions targeting negativity in caregivers’ social relationships are urgently needed.