title: Longitudinal anthropometric study in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
abstract: In four groups of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, anthropometric variables were investigated every 3 months for 2 years. Group 1 (n = 7) was treated with a high-risk protocol, group 2 (n = 13) with a standard-risk protocol including cranial irradiation, group 3 (n = 13) with a standard-risk protocol without cranial irradiation and group 4 (n = 8) was followed after completion of treatment. A height retardation of 0.4-0.6 SD was observed during therapy in groups 1-3. A catch-up of 0.5 SD was found in group 4. The retardation of armspan was significantly larger than the retardation of sitting height when groups 1-3 were taken together. Head circumference was not affected. The anthropometric variables reflecting nutritional status showed a growth above normal during and after treatment. Corticosteroid medication and not cranial irradiation is the most likely explanation for our findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Tamminga
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Kamps
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Drayer
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Humphrey
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects; D000886:Anthropometry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents