title: Health-related quality of life evaluated by Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 in pediatric leprosy patients with musculoskeletal manifestations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in pediatric leprosy patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study included 47 leprosy patients and 45 healthy subjects. The HRQL was measured by Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0), and evaluated physical, emotional, social and school domains. The leprosy patients were classified by Ridley and Jopling classification criteria and assessed according to clinical musculoskeletal manifestations, laboratory and radiographic examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median of current age was similar in leprosy patients and controls [12(6-18) vs. 15(5-18)years, p = 0.384], likewise the frequencies of female gender (p = 0.835) and middle/lower Brazilian socio-economic classes (p = 1.0). The domain school activities according the child-self report was significantly lower in leprosy patients compared to controls in the age group of 13-18 years [75(45-100) vs. 90(45-100), p = 0.021]. The other domains were alike in both groups (p > 0.05). At least one musculoskeletal manifestation (arthralgia, arthritis and/or myalgia) was observed in 15% of leprosy patients and none in controls (p = 0.012). Further comparison between all leprosy patients showed that the median of the physical capacity domain [81.25(50-100) vs. 98.44(50-100), p = 0.036] and school activities domain by child-self report [60(50-85) vs. 80(45-100), p = 0.042] were significantly lower in patients with musculoskeletal manifestations compared to patients without these manifestations. No differences were evidenced between the other HRQL parameters in both groups, reported by patients and parents (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduced physical capacity and school activities domains were observed in pediatric leprosy patients with musculoskeletal manifestations.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Dermatologia, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiabá, MT, Brasil.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neder
authors.affiliation: VU University, Faculdade de Medicina, Amsterdã, Holanda; Departamento de Pediatria, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marlon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Weelden
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Reumatologia Pediátrica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Ribeiro
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Reumatologia Pediátrica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Daniela Mencaroni
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Reumatologia Pediátrica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Claudio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Len
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Reumatologia Pediátrica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brasil; Divisão de Reumatologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brasil. Electronic address: clovisaasilva@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Clovis A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report
keywords: Arthritis; Artrite; Children; Criança; Hansen's disease; Hanseníase; Health‐related quality of life; Lepra; Leprosy; Qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde