Quality of life of children with spinal muscular atrophy and their caregivers from the perspective of caregivers: a Chinese cross-sectional study

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal-recessive motor neuron disease leading to dysfunction of multiple organs. SMA can impair the quality of life (QoL) of patients and family. We aimed to evaluate the QoL of children with SMA and their caregivers and to identify the factors associated with QoL in a cross-sectional study conducted in China. Methods: We recruited 101 children aged 0-17 years with SMA and their caregivers from a children's hospital in China. Twenty-six children had type I SMA, 56 type II and 19 type III. Each child's QoL was measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.0 Neuromuscular Module (PedsQL NMM), which was completed by the child's caregivers. The caregiver's QoL was measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Family Impact Module (PedsQL FIM). Information on sociodemographic characteristics, disease-specific characteristics, and treatments were collected using the proxy-reported questionnaire. Two-sample t tests and one-way ANOVA were used to compare differences in average scores of QoL across subgroups. Results: Children with type III SMA had a higher average Total score of PedsQL NMM and higher average scores in domains Neuromuscular disease and Family resources than children with type I or type II SMA (p < 0.001). Caregivers of children with type III SMA reported higher average scores in the domains of Physical, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive functioning of the PedsQL FIM than those of children with types I or II SMA (p < 0.05). In addition, disease-related characteristics (e.g. limited mobility, stable course of disease, skeleton deformity, and digestive system dysfunction) and respiratory support were associated with lower average scores of PedsQL NMM and PedsQL FIM (p < 0.05). Exercise training, multidisciplinary team management and use of the medication Nusinersen were each associated with higher average scores in both PedsQL NMM and FIM (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study has demonstrated factors that may impair or improve QoL of children patients with SMA and their parents. Particularly, QoL was relatively poor in children with type I and type II SMA as well as in their caregivers compared to those with type III SMA. We strongly recommend that standard of care in a multidisciplinary team be strengthened to improve the QoL of SMA patients. Our study called for increased attention from clinical physicians on measuring QoL in their clinical practices in order to enhance the understanding of impacts of SMA and to make better decisions regarding treatment.