Health-related quality of life and intellectual functioning in children in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and intellectual functioning of children in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).


METHODS
Children and adolescents treated for ALL (n = 40; mean age 11.8 years, range 8.5-15.4) and healthy controls (n = 42; mean age 11.8, range 8.11-15.0) were assessed through a cross-sectional approach using the Pediatric Quality of Life inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 and the Wechsler Intelligent Scale for children-III (WISC-III).


RESULTS
Children and adolescents treated for ALL reported on average significantly lower HRQOL compared to healthy controls: the mother's proxy-report showed significantly lower HRQOL for their children, as did the father's proxy-report, measured by the PedsQL 4.0 Total Scale and Psychosocial Health Scale. Intellectual functioning as measured by the WISC-III Full Scale IQ was below that of the control group, but still within the normal range.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant differences found between children treated for ALL and their control group for the PedsQL Psychosocial Health Scale may indicate that the complex illness-treatment experience can make children more vulnerable with regard to psychosocial sequels, in spite of otherwise satisfactory physical and intellectual functioning. Follow-up programs that target the psychosocial health of children in remission from ALL should be implemented.
Reinfjell
Trude
T
Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), N-7491, Trondheim, Norway. trude.reinfjell@svt.ntnu.no
Lofstad
G Elisabeth
GE
Veenstra
Marijke
M
Vikan
Arne
A
Diseth
Trond H
TH
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012074:Remission Induction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires