title: Non-irradiated female survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia are at risk of long-term increases in weight and body mass index.
abstract: We report long-term, including final height, auxological data from our retrospective study of non-irradiated survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS) increases in females, due to increased weight-SDS, persisted to final height, with probable adverse long-term health outcomes. In contrast, males demonstrated increased BMI-SDS in follow-up, due to reduced height-SDS, not increased weight-SDS, but such changes had resolved by final height. Childhood ALL survivors, particularly females, are therefore at potential increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome during follow-up. We recommend that strategies to minimize weight gain should be implemented during ALL treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Robert L C
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Richard A L
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Breene
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gattens
authors.forename: Rachel M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017741:Survivors; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: acute leukaemia; body mass index; childhood; late effects; metabolic syndrome