Longitudinal growth and risk factors for growth deficiency in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Growth deficit has been reported as a frequent complication of the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Longitudinal analysis of the growth of 129 children, from a total of 351 cases diagnosed between 1987 and 1994 in Brazil, was determined. Height data were converted into standard deviation Z scores. Only girls younger than 10 and boys younger than 12 years old at diagnosis were included. Patients were treated according to a German BFM-83 based protocol. Fifty-eight children received 18 Gy cranial irradiation, four 12 Gy, and two 24 Gy. Patients were aggregated into five non-excluding groups according to availability of height data at diagnosis, during the treatment, at the end of it, and several years after; 35 children reached their final height.

Height deficit at the end of the therapeutic treatment was evident (P < 0.0001). Catch-up occurred 1 year after stopping treatment (P = 0.016). At the last follow-up, over 5 years after the end of treatment (n = 83) or at final height (n = 35), impressive height deficits were recorded (P < 0.0001 for both end points). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that growth impairment was more severe in children younger than 4 years at diagnosis and in those who received cranial irradiation. No significant effect of gender was observed. Children who were treated solely with chemotherapy also had significant height loss.

Treatment of ALL in children is associated with growth deficit during the treatment and several years after it, affecting the final height negatively, particularly in patients younger than 4 and in those who received cranial irradiation.