title: Post-treatment intellectual functioning in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with chemotherapy-only: a prospective, sibling-controlled study.
abstract: Intellectual functioning (verbal, performance and full-scale IQ) in 43 children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with chemotherapy-only was evaluated in a nationwide, prospective, sibling-controlled study. Intellectual assessment was performed at diagnosis and repeated shortly after cessation of 2 years treatment, including intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy. Using hierarchical regression analysis, patients' and siblings' (n=27) scores were longitudinally analysed and compared to assess possible changes and differences over time. At both assessments, before and after treatment, the patients showed average scores on intelligence tests compared to population norms. Longitudinal analysis and cross-sectional comparisons revealed no significant differences between patients and controls. Young patients showed a small relative decline, albeit not significant, on performance-IQ compared to healthy siblings. Despite intensive and potentially neurotoxic treatment, no evident negative effects on intelligence were found. However, it cannot be precluded that younger patients are at risk for a small decline in PIQ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Haematology, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30 001, Groningen 9700 RB, The Netherlands. N.C.A.Jansen@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Nathalie C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kingma
authors.forename: Arnout
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schuitema
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouma
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huisman
authors.forename: Anjo J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Veerman
authors.forename: Willem A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Kamps
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis