title: Arterial stiffness in childhood cancer survivors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease is prevalent among childhood cancer survivors (CCS). Arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) may be predictive of cardiovascular morbidity. Increased PWV has been seen in adults following chemotherapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate PWV in a cohort of CCS and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants were >6 years old. CCS were >12 months off-therapy and free of cardiac disease, diabetes, and kidney dysfunction. Height, weight, blood pressure (BP), medications, cancer diagnosis, age at diagnosis, time off therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation exposures were recorded. PWV was measured on all participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-eight CCS (mean 17.3 ± 6 years, 52.9% male), and 51 controls (mean 18.4 ± 5.5 years, 37.3% male) were evaluated. Among CCS, 34% had lymphoma, 44% leukemia, and 22% solid tumors, and 49% were exposed to radiation. CCS were off therapy 7 ± 4.2 years. Both groups were statistically similar in age, BMI, and BP. CCS ≥ 18 years old had significantly higher PWV compared to controls ≥ 18 years old (6.37 ± 0.89 vs. 5.76 ± 0.88 m/sec, P = 0.012). The relationship persisted in a regression model adjusted for age, sex, and BMI z-score (β = 0.52, 95%CI 0.051-0.979, P = 0.03). Seventy percent of CCS ≥ 18 had elevated PWV compared to established norms. Radiation therapy, anthracycline dose, and chemotherapy exposures were not predictive of increased PWV in CCS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCS ≥ 18 demonstrated prematurely elevated PVW. Further studies are needed to determine the predictive value of PWV in this population and its utility as a screening modality.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040.
authors.forename: Julie I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Krystal
authors.affiliation: Hofstra Northshore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reppucci
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York, 11040.
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fish
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sethna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D059289:Vascular Stiffness
keywords: cardiotoxicity; late-effects of chemotherapy; pulse wave velocity