In a large cohort of patients, DCMR has an added value for predicting cardiac events during long-term follow-up, improving the differentiation between high-risk and low-risk patients. Patients with inducible WMA and following early revascularization, demonstrate lower cardiac event rates than patients with medical therapy alone.
Summary
Obesity is associated with poor outcomes in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). We explored whether severe treatment‐related toxicity and treatment delays could explain this observation. This study included 1 443 children aged 2·0–17·9 years with ALL treated with the Nordic Society of Pediatric Haematology and Oncology (NOPHO) ALL2008 non‐high‐risk protocol. Prospective treatment‐related toxicities registered every three‐month interval were used. Patients were classified according to sex‐ and age‐adjusted international childhood cut‐off values, corresponding to adult body mass index: underweight, <17 kg/m2; healthy weight, 17 to <25 kg/m2; overweight, 25 to <30 kg/m2; and obese, ≥30 kg/m2. Obese children had a higher incidence rate ratio (IRR) for severe toxic events {IRR: 1·55 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·07–2·50]}, liver and kidney failures, bleeding, abdominal complication, suspected unexpected severe adverse reactions and hyperlipidaemia compared with healthy‐weight children. Obese children aged ≥10 years had increased IRRs for asparaginase‐related toxicities compared with healthy‐weight older children: thromboses [IRR 2·87 (95% CI 1·00–8·21)] and anaphylactic reactions [IRR 7·95 (95% CI 2·15–29·37)] as well as higher risk for truncation of asparaginase [IRR 3·54 (95% CI 1·67–7·50)]. The high prevalence of toxicity and a higher risk of truncation of asparaginase may play a role in the poor prognosis of obese children aged ≥10 years with ALL.
In selected cases, surgically placed jejunostomy tubes for feeding in children is an effective and safe method to overcome GERD, feeding difficulties, or recurrent pneumonia without major surgery.
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Objectives
Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have a tendency to gain weight during treatment. As overweight and obesity associate with health problems, prophylactic interventions are warranted. Therefore, it is important to identify the children most prone to gain weight.
Methods
Patients aged 2.0–17.9 years at ALL diagnosis were identified from the NOPHO ALL2008 registry. Registry data was complemented with height and weight at the end of therapy from questionnaires. Body mass index (BMI) was classified according to international age‐ and sex‐adjusted International Obesity Task Force BMI cut‐offs. BMI values were transformed into standard deviation scores (SDS) to calculate the difference in BMISDS during treatment.
Results
Data on BMI change were available for 765 children. Overweight and obesity doubled during treatment: 9.7% were overweight and 2.1% obese at diagnosis and 21.8% and 5.4% at the end of therapy, respectively. The mean BMISDS change was +0.64. Younger (2.0–5.9 years) and healthy weight children were most prone to become overweight (mean change in BMI SDS +0.85 and + 0.65, respectively).
Conclusions
Younger children (2.0–5.9 years) with healthy weight at diagnosis were most prone to becoming overweight and therefore are an important group to target while considering interventions.
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