Quality of life of children and young people with anterior chest wall deformity: a systematic review of the literature

Johnstone, Ashley; Davis, Carl; Roberts, Nicola J.; Sharp, Kath

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the current evidence regarding the Quality of life (QoL) of children and young people with Anterior Chest Wall Deformity (ACWD).

Methods: Using a defined search strategy, a systematic review of the literature was performed using PRISMA guidelines.

Results: The search identified 305 articles, after refinement, the full text of 51 studies were reviewed and 10 included in the review. A total of eight studies described QoL associated with the correction of ACWD, and two studies reported on QoL without correction. The surgical correction of ACWD was reported in six studies and non-surgical correction in two studies. A total of three disease specific and 24 generic QoL measures were used. The variation in QoL outcome measures, together with a lack of consistency in the time scales of data collection, did not allow for direct comparison between studies. However, the improvement in psychosocial QoL following correction of ACWD is clear. The impact of ACWD on physical QoL is less defined and the influence of age, gender, severity, and type of deformity is uncertain. The literature identified primarily surrounds QoL outcomes in relation to surgical correction and is therefore not representative of all children and young people with ACWD.

Conclusions: Correction of ACWD is associated with significant improvement in the psychosocial QoL of children and young people. Further work is required to standardise QoL data collection for all children with ACWD to achieve a greater understanding of the impact and guide future management.

Citation

Johnstone, A., Davis, C., Roberts, N. J., & Sharp, K. (2023). Quality of life of children and young people with anterior chest wall deformity: a systematic review of the literature. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 108(8), 678-683. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2022-324948

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 14, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Apr 26, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Apr 18, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 1, 2023
• Print ISSN: 0003-9888
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2044
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 108
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 678-683
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2022-324948
• Keywords: Anterior Chest Wall Deformity, Pectus Excavatum, Pectus Carinatum, Quality of life, Children, Adolescents
• Publisher URL: https://adc.bmj.com/