title: Evaluation of Health-related Quality of Life in Paediatric Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measurement is used for assessing the impact of diseases and medical treatments on physical, psychological and social aspects of an individual's health and life. The Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory™(PedsQL™)is a widely used instrument to measure paediatric HRQOL in children. The aim of this study is to investigate the HRQOL in paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and determine the precautions for improving the quality of their life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 was administered to 75 paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and 50 healthy age- and gender-matched children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Health-related quality of life scores were significantly lower in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia than in healthy controls in this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is thought that determination of the psychosocial, as well as the physical impacts of the disease on the child, will positively influence the treatment given by improving the quality of life of both the child and the family.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Göztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: O E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Bulut
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Göztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ergüven
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, e-mail: deryakaly@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalyoncu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Çanakkale State Hospital, Çanakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Şahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Göztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazıcı
keywords: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; paediatric quality of life Inventory™ (PedsQL™) 4.0; quality of life