Assessment of health-related quality of life among parents of children with solid tumors in Serbia.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and contributing factors among parents of children with solid tumors in Serbia. METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 51 parents of children treated for different solid tumors at the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia. Parents filled out validated Serbian version of SF-36 questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of total score of SF-36. RESULTS: Almost all parents (94.1%) were mothers and average age was 38.6 ± 6.7 years. Majority of children had brain tumors (43.1%), followed by bone tumors (37.3%). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that socio-demographic characteristics explained 26% of the variance (p > 0.05) of the total score of SF-36. Addition of quality of life of children assessed by parents in the second model caused an increase of 21% in the variance explained (p < 0.05). After adding the Beck Depression Inventory score in the third block, an additional 18% of the variance in total score was explained (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that HRQoL measured by SF-36 in parents of children with cancer is strongly influenced by depression and quality of life of children assessed by parents.

Digestibility and allergenicity assessment of enzymatically crosslinked beta-casein.

Crosslinking enzymes are frequently used in bioprocessing of dairy products. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of enzymatic crosslinking on IgE binding, allergenicity and digestion stability of beta-casein (CN). beta-CN was crosslinked by transglutaminase, tyrosinase, mushroom tyrosinase/caffeic acid and laccase/caffeic acid. The IgE binding to beta-CN was compared in vitro by CAP inhibition assay, ELISA inhibition as well as ex vivo by basophil activation assay. Crosslinked CNs were digested by simulated gastric fluid for 15 and 60 min and obtained digests analyzed for their ability to inhibit IgE binding by CAP inhibition assay and SDS-PAGE. The ability of crosslinked CNs to activate basophils was significantly reduced in seven patients in the case of CN crosslinked by laccase and moderately reduced in the case of tyrosinase/caffeic acid crosslinked CN (in two cow's milk allergy patients tested with different allergen concentrations). The response to various crosslinked CNs differed individually among patients' sera tested by ELISA inhibition assay. The presence of caffeic acid hampered digestion by pepsin, and this effect was most pronounced for the tyrosinase/caffeic acid crosslinked CN. The laccase/caffeic acid and mushroom tyrosinase/caffeic acid had the highest potential in mitigating IgE binding and allergenicity of the beta-CN out of all investigated enzymes. The presence of a small phenolic compound also increased digestion stability of beta-CN.