Jewm. Vandongenmelman et al., OBESITY AFTER SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA INCHILDHOOD, Pediatric research, 38(1), 1995, pp. 86-90
Early and late effects of treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (
ALL) on weight was retrospectively investigated in 113 children in con
tinuous first remission. Weight was examined at diagnosis up to 10 y a
fter cessation of treatment. There was an increased prevalence of over
weight after treatment for ALL which persisted over time. Al treatment
regimens included corticosteroid therapy, and 52 patients received ad
ditional cranial irradiation. Patients treated with and without crania
l irradiation did not differ in weight gain, indicating that not crani
al irradiation but corticosteroid therapy might explain weight gain in
children treated for ALL. Dexamethasone was associated with a signifi
cant increase of weight at cessation of treatment. Patients treated wi
th a combination of prednisone and dexamethasone had as a late effect
the highest prevalence of obesity (44%). Gender or age at diagnosis we
re not related to weight gain.