RESTING METABOLIC-RATE AND OBESITY IN CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA

The present study described excess weight gain in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treated without cranial radiotherapy, an d tested the hypothesis that reduced resting metabolic rate (RMR) pred isposes children with ALL to excess weight gain. Changes in relative w eight in 35 children were expressed as BMI standard deviation (s.d.) s cores from diagnosis to 2 y post diagnosis. RMR was measured by ventil ated hood indirect calorimetry in 27 patients who had been in positive energy balance and 27 healthy control children matched painwise for g ender and fat free mass (FFM). Mean change in BMI s.d. score to 2 y wa s +1.0 (s.d. 1.3), 95% CI +0.5 to +1.5 (paired t, P < 0.01). No signif icant differences in RMR were observed between patients and controls ( paired t-test; analysis of covariance). We conclude that excess weight gain occurs during ALL therapy, even in the absence of cranial radiot herapy. Children with ALL who have been in positive energy balance do not appear to show abnormalities in RMR.