Longitudinal anthropometric study in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

In four groups of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, anthropometric variables were investigated every 3 months for 2 years. Group 1 (n = 7) was treated with a high-risk protocol, group 2 (n = 13) with a standard-risk protocol including cranial irradiation, group 3 (n = 13) with a standard-risk protocol without cranial irradiation and group 4 (n = 8) was followed after completion of treatment. A height retardation of 0.4-0.6 SD was observed during therapy in groups 1-3. A catch-up of 0.5 SD was found in group 4. The retardation of armspan was significantly larger than the retardation of sitting height when groups 1-3 were taken together. Head circumference was not affected. The anthropometric variables reflecting nutritional status showed a growth above normal during and after treatment. Corticosteroid medication and not cranial irradiation is the most likely explanation for our findings.