Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can substantially affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children through chronic symptoms, treatment burden, repeated healthcare encounters, and psychosocial stress. This study aimed to compare HRQoL and family functioning in children with IBD according to disease type and treatment modality.

Methods: A single-center cross-sectional study included 105 children aged 8–17 years with IBD. Fifty-nine had Crohn’s disease (CD) and 46 had ulcerative colitis (UC). Thirty-eight patients received biologic therapy in combination with conventional treatment, while 67 received conventional therapy alone. HRQoL was assessed using the disease-specific IMPACT-III questionnaire and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0). Parents completed the PedsQL Family Impact Module (PedsQL FIM). Group comparisons were performed using nonparametric statistical methods.

Results: Overall HRQoL and family functioning showed similar patterns across treatment modalities and disease types. Total IMPACT-III, PedsQL, and PedsQL FIM scores were comparable between children receiving biologic and conventional therapy, including in sensitivity and diagnosis-stratified analyses. When analyzed by disease type, median IMPACT-III scores were 76.0 in children with CD and 70.5 in those with UC (p=0.270). Median PedsQL scores were 73.0 and 75.0, respectively (p=0.681), while PedsQL FIM scores were 75.0 and 71.0 (p=0.522). Across HRQoL domains, emotional functioning remained one of the most affected areas, indicating a persistent psychosocial burden despite otherwise comparable overall HRQoL.

Conclusion: Overall HRQoL and family functioning were comparable across disease types and treatment modalities in this cohort of Russian children with IBD. Emotional functioning remained an important area of vulnerability, supporting routine assessment of psychosocial well-being as part of comprehensive IBD care.

Lim Yuen Kai is a pediatrician and gastroenterologist with academic and clinical interest in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. He is currently pursuing a PhD at Sechenov University in Moscow, where his research focuses on health-related quality of life, emotional well-being, and patient-reported outcomes in children with inflammatory bowel disease. His work aims to better understand the broader impact of chronic gastrointestinal disease and its treatment on children and their families