PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Elpida Hatziagorou AU - Elianna Chrysochoou AU - Fotis Kirvassilis AU - Dafni Papanikolaou AU - Despoina Terzi AU - Lemonia Nousia AU - John Tsanakas TI - Home care and benefit in days of hospitalization, cost and quality of life for children with cystic fibrosis AID - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA1619 DP - 2016 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - PA1619 VI - 48 IP - suppl 60 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA1619.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA1619.full SO - Eur Respir J2016 Sep 01; 48 AB - Background: Days of hospitalization are emerging as an important indicator of quality of life (QOL) among children with chronic diseases.Aim: To evaluate the QOL of children with cystic fibrosis in relation to days of hospitalization in a home care project.Patients- Method: Sixty children (mean age 10.5 years, 58.3% males, mean FEV1 98.1 ± 24.8%) with cystic fibrosis and their parents were entered prospectively in a home care project. The program was covered by two nurses and two physiotherapists who visited homes on a regular weekly basis and were referred to the CF centre. QOL DISABKIDS questionnaire for children with cystic fibrosis was completed before and one year after implementation of the home care project. We counted the days of hospitalization and cost of hospitalization before and one year after the entry of these patients in the home care project.Results: Mean days of hospitalization decreased significantly (11.1±8.9 days before, to 4.9 ±5.9, p<0.001). Mean cost of hospitalization decreased significantly (2579 ± 1364 Euros before home care project, to 1631 ±1085 Euros after the project, p<0.0001). Total Quality of Life, assessed with the DIDABKIDS questionnaire improved significantly after the implementation of the home care project (p<0.05).Conclusion: Home Care contributes to significant reduction of days of hospitalization and the associated costs. It also improves quality of life of CF children.