Multicentre analysis of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in children following treatment according to the nephroblastoma studies SIOP No.9/GPOH and SIOP 93-01/GPOH.
BACKGROUND
To study cardiac function and the incidence of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in children following treatment according to the nephroblastoma studies SIOP No.9/GPOH and SIOP 93-01/GPOH.


METHODS
Analysis of clinical status, echocardiography, and ECG findings prior to administration of anthracyclines (median cumulative doxorubicin dose: 250 mg/m(2) [range: 90-411 mg/m(2)] and after a median posttherapeutic interval of 2.9 years [range: 0-10.2 years]. Data on cardiac function before and/or after therapy could be obtained of 186 patients.


RESULTS
Posttherapy left ventricular fractional shortening was reduced in 4/157 (2.5%) patients. Out of the 4 children, 2 had clinically reduced tolerance to exercise and received anticongestive therapy. Abnormal ECG findings that were not detectable prior to therapy were found in 7/124 (5.6%) children.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of abnormal findings is low in our study group in comparison to data from the literature and might be due to the comparably short posttherapeutic interval.
Department of Immunology and Oncology, University Hospital for Children and Adolescents Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany.
M
M
Marx
T
T
Langer
N
N
Graf
G
G
Hausdorf
W
W
Stöhr
R
R
Ludwig
J D
JD
Beck
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009396:Wilms Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D003609:Dactinomycin; D014750:Vincristine