Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
Non-invasive Assessment of Microvascular and Endothelial Function
Published on: January 29, 2013
Endothelial health in childhood acute lymphoid leukemia survivors: pilot evaluation with peripheral artery tonometry
Kathy Ruble1, Catherine L Davis, Hae-Ra Han
1*Division of Pediatric Oncology, School of Medicine, Bloomberg Children's Center, Johns Hopkins University ‡Department of Community-Public Health, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD †Institute of Public and Preventive Health, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA.
Insights
Childhood cancer survivors, specifically those with acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL), show poorer vascular health compared to siblings. Early detection of this impaired vascular function is crucial for intervention.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular health in pediatric oncology.
- Vascular function assessment in young adults.
Background:
- Childhood cancer survivors face elevated risks of long-term cardiac complications.
- Acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) survivors are particularly vulnerable to cardiovascular issues.
- Early identification of vascular impairment is key for timely interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess vascular health in acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) survivors.
- To compare vascular health between ALL survivors and their healthy siblings.
Main Methods:
- Vascular health evaluated using peripheral artery tonometry (PAT).
- Cardiovascular risk factors including BMI, central adiposity, blood pressure, and fitness were assessed.
- Sixteen ALL survivor-sibling pairs (ages 8-20) participated.
- One-tailed paired t-tests were used for group comparisons.
Main Results:
- ALL survivors exhibited significantly poorer vascular health compared to healthy siblings.
- Reactive Hyperemia Index (RHI) was lower in survivors (1.54) versus siblings (1.77; P=0.0474).
- No significant differences were observed in traditional cardiovascular risk factors between groups.
Conclusions:
- Poorer vascular health exists in ALL survivors even when traditional cardiovascular risk factors are comparable to siblings.
- Peripheral artery tonometry can detect subclinical vascular dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted cardiovascular surveillance in ALL survivors.
Background:
Childhood cancer survivors are a growing population at risk for poor cardiac outcomes. Acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) survivors are among those at increased risk of cardiovascular complications. Early identification of impaired vascular health may allow for interventions to improve these outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate vascular health using peripheral artery tonometry in ALL survivors and compare results with healthy siblings.
Procedure:
Sixteen ALL survivor, healthy sibling pairs, aged 8 to 20 years, were evaluated for vascular health and cardiovascular risk factors (body mass index, central adiposity, blood pressure, and fitness). One-tailed paired t test was used to compare the groups.
Results:
Survivors were similar to siblings in cardiovascular risk measures but had poorer vascular health as measured by reactive hyperemia index (survivor RHI 1.54 vs. sibling 1.77; P=0.0474).
Conclusion:
This study reveals that even among survivors who are comparable to their healthy siblings in other traditional cardiovascular risks, there is evidence of poorer vascular health.
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Preparation: