Lung function impairment in long-term survivors of Hodgkin's disease.
BACKGROUND
Treatment of Hodgkin's disease (HD) involves radiation and chemotherapy, modalities known to cause lung injury.


METHODS
In Norway, between 1980 and 1988, 129 patients aged less than 50 years at the time of diagnosis, had curative treatment with thoracic radiation alone or combined-modality therapy for supradiaphragmatic HD. We have examined 116 (90%) of these patients by interview, chest X-ray and lung function tests, 5-13 years after treatment.


RESULTS
Nearly 30% of the patients had dyspnoea on exertion and associated reductions in total lung capacity (TLC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and gas transfer (TLCO) (p < 0.05). Radiographic evidence of no, slight or moderate fibrosis occurred in 32%, 54% and 14% of the patients, respectively. Moderate fibrosis was associated with reductions in FVC, FEV1 and TLCO (p < 0.05). Radiation plus chemotherapy containing bleomycin-anthracyclines (median cumulative bleomycin dose 120 mg) was associated with decreases in FVC and TLCO (p < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, chemotherapy with bleomycin-anthracyclines was the only significant predictor for lung function impairment.


CONCLUSIONS
More than five years after therapy, respiratory symptoms and reduction in lung function were diagnosed in nearly one-third of otherwise healthy HD survivors.
Lund
M B
MB
Department of Thoracic Medicine, National Hospital, Norway.
Kongerud
J
J
Nome
O
O
Abrahamsen
A F
AF
Bjørtuft
O
O
Forfang
K
K
Boe
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D017741:Survivors
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D001761:Bleomycin