Obesity and Sarcopenia in Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

To describe the prevalence of obesity and sarcopenia among survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using DEXA scan, and study associated risk factors.

This case control study was conducted between July, 2013 and June, 2014 at a tertiary care cancer centre in India. Study participants included 65 survivors of childhood ALL who were <18 years of age at diagnosis, treated between years 1996 and 2008, and were at least two years since completion of therapy. The controls included 50 matched siblings. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to study the body composition (body fat percentage, BF% and lean body mass, LBM) of the participants and controls. McCarthy's body fat reference data were applied and logistic regression analysis was used to study various risk factors.

At a median (range) follow-up of 5 (7.2-17.2) years, BF% (DEXA) identified a significantly higher prevalence of obesity of 21.5% (14/65) and sarcopenic obesity (14%) among survivors as compared to the controls (0/50, P<0.001), while the prevalence of sarcopenia as detected by LBM was similar at 60% (39/65) and 56% (28/50), respectively. On multivariate analysis, age at evaluation, high-risk disease and cranial irradiation were independently associated with high likelihood of obesity, while none of the factors predicted sarcopenia.

High prevalence of obesity and sarcopenic obesity were observed among survivors of childhood ALL.