Quality of life in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is one of the most common neoplasms in children, that is. 3,000 new cases are diagnosed in the USA each year. The assessment of the quality of life (QoL) by the patient is the important indicator of the effects of treatment by the means of physical, psychical and social functioning.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the QoL of children treated for ALL and the stress levels of their parents. Additionally, the impact of the most common symptoms on perceived QoL was analysed.

Seventy-four patients with ALL (mean age 9.03) were enrolled in the study. The questionnaire of Paediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) and the medical records as the source of the socio-clinical data were applied in this study.

In QoL assessment, the social functioning reached the highest score (67.57 ± 21.33), and physical functioning - the lowest score (51.1 ± 25.59). The analysis of the symptoms showed that the most intensive were stress (7.19 ± 2.71), fatigue and weakness (5.19 ± 2.76). In Spearman's rank correlation analysis the depressed mood, fatigue and weakness were significant negative predictors influencing QoL in all the domains of PedsQoL. In the linear regression analysis only the depressed mood was the significant independent determinant of the decreased QoL in the majority of the domains of PedsQoL, respectively: the general QoL (β = -0.314; p = 0.002); psychosocial functioning (β = -3.44; p < 0.01); role functioning (β = -3.18; p = 0.004); social functioning (β = -3.5; p = 0.007) and emotional functioning (β = -3.012; p = 0.002).

Quality of life of children with ALL is decreased and of the lowest value in the range of physical health. The factors negatively influencing the QoL are depressed mood, fatigue and weakness. The significant independent determinant of the decreased QoL is children's depressed mood.