Quality of life of pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Hospital de la Misericordia, Bogotá, second half of 2006 Calidad de vida de pacientes pediátricos con lupus eritematoso sistémico: Hospital de la Misericordia, Bogotá segundo semestre del 2006

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to determine the quality of life of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the outpatient clinic of Hospital de la Misericordia in the second semester of 2006 and its frequency with the level of activity of the disease, schooling , health regime and socioeconomic level. Descriptive study of transverse cut. We chose 20 patients from 6 to 18 years old, with a diagnosis of SLE who attended the consultation at the Hospital de la Misericordia in the second semester of 2006, with acceptance of informed consent. The quality of life instrument (CHAQ) was applied by parents of patients under 12 years of age. It was analyzed by means of frequency tables and measures of central tendency and dispersion were calculated, identifying a group of 40 patients with SLE of which 20 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 76% had good quality of life at the time of the study; 72% with activity of the disease are in this group. The totality of those who do not have good quality of life are in adolescence. The majority affiliated to the subsidized regime in stratum two. Despite being a disease with high morbidity and mortality, almost all found an adequate quality of life. This work generates new questions about the relationship between the activity of the disease and quality of life, since it is an important limitation. Abbreviations: SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; CHAQ, quality of life assessment instrument.