Poster Presentation International Celiac Disease Symposium 2026

Aim: To evaluate Quality of Life(QOL) in children and adolescents with Celiac Disease (CeD) on Gluten Free Diet(GFD) for more than 1 year. Correlation of  QOL with ‘Type of presentation’ and ‘Compliance to GFD’ was also assessed.

Method: Two groups of study subjects each having 50 participants -Group A(On GFD for more than 5 years), Group B(on GFD for 1-5 years), were analysed. Pediatric Symptom Checklist(PSC-35) was used for assessment of QOL. Type of presentation was classified according to Oslo definitions. Compliance was assessed using a locally adapted questionnaire. Knowledge about disease and problem perceived by the parents and children were also assessed and correlation with QOL was sought.

Results: There was a very good QOL both in the self-report and parents’ proxy version (median -2.0 and 4.0 respectively) of PSC 35 scale. Parents reported QOL significantly poorer than the children (p<.001). No difference in QOL was found between different types of presentation and different categories of compliance. QOL was not affected by gender and duration of GFD. In the self-report poorer QOL was reported by the adolescents 12-18year age(p=0.014) and children of postgraduate mothers(p=0.008). A  poorer QOL was reported by  parents who perceived higher degree of problem in maintaining GFD (p=0.041) and who were worried about restriction of career of the child in future(p=0.002). Children with good & fair knowledge about CeD also  reported poorer QOL(p=0.016). 38% of children reported restriction from attending parties.  Parents reported a better QOL if the child shared the responsibility of maintaining GFD.

Conclusion: Overall the QOL in Indian children on GFD >1 year is good. QOL was not affected by type of presentation or Compliance. Parent reported QOL is consistently poorer. Parents who felt they had a greater problem in maintaining GFD had a worse QOL. Worse QOL was reported by