Risk factors and clinical implications of hyperglycemia during induction therapy in pediatric acute lymphoblastic...

Hyperglycemia during induction therapy in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is associated with adverse outcomes, yet its impact in pediatric ALL remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to determine the incidence of hyperglycemia in pediatric ALL, identify its associated risk factors, and evaluate its impact on invasive fungal infections and sepsis-related mortality during induction. This retrospective study analyzed 1711 pediatric ALL patients treated between 2016 and 2019 at a single tertiary care center. Patients were categorized based on random blood glucose levels into overt hyperglycemia (≥200 mg/dL), mild hyperglycemia (140-199 mg/dL), and euglycemia. Hyperglycemia occurred in 45.2% of pediatric ALL patients during induction therapy (overt in 15.4%, mild in 29.8%). On multivariate analysis, significant risk factors included female sex, age ≥10 years, obesity, family history of diabetes, initial white blood cell count ≥50,000/μL, and Down syndrome. Invasive fungal infections were more prevalent in overt hyperglycemia (26.1%) compared to mild hyperglycemia (13.9%) and euglycemia (6.4%) groups (p < 0.001). Sepsis-related mortality was highest among overt hyperglycemic patients (15.2% vs. 2.4% vs. 0.2%, p < 0.001). During early continuation therapy, overt hyperglycemia recurred in 5% of patients, mainly among those who experienced it during induction. These findings indicate that hyperglycemia is a frequent and clinically relevant complication during induction therapy in pediatric ALL and appears to be associated with an increased risk of invasive infections and sepsis-related mortality. Strategies such as early identification of high-risk patients, close glucose monitoring, and providing infection prophylaxis during treatment can be integrated into clinical practice to enhance outcomes in this vulnerable population.