[Vitamin and zinc levels in leukemic children during induction therapy (author's transl)]

In 23 leukemic patients treated according to the West Berlin-protocol, we studied prospectively the plasma levels of the vitamins A (and carotinoids), B1, B2, B6, C, and E, as well as serum zinc values. Blood was drawn on days 0 (before treatment), 15, 29, and 57 of induction therapy. With one exception, plasma vitamin levels did not change significantly during treatment; however, vitamin A increased in the first and decreased in the second phase of induction (p less than 0.01) without clinical signs or symptoms. The serum levels of zinc (p less than 0.05) and the alkaline phosphatase fell continuously from day 0 to 29, but there was no correlation between these two parameters in the same patient. Clinical symptoms of zinc deficiency were not observed. We conclude: 1) That plasma vitamin levels in this limited population are generally unaffected by the underlying malignant disease, the aggressive therapy and altered feeding behaviour, and 2) that the significant decrease of serum zinc does not play a major role in the expression of clinical and biochemical side effects of cytotoxic therapy.