title: Quality of life in children with systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in children is a chronic multi-system disease with wide ranging effects on their quality of life (QOL). While SLE's impact on different arenas of life and well-being has been extensively examined in the adult population, its effect on children has not received adequate attention. This paper briefly discusses the multidimensional aspect of QOL, the biopsychosocial implications of SLE, factors complicating QOL measurement in the affected population, and the different generic and disease-specific scales used for measuring QOL and related constructs, and it also highlights the need for SLE-specific pediatric QOL instruments.
authors.affiliation: UMDNJ/RWJ Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, MEB 396 A, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA. lnmoorthy@mac.com
authors.forename: L Nandini
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Moorthy
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Karen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Onel
authors.forename: Melanie J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Thomas J A
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lehman
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile