title: Electrophysiological Studies to Detect Peripheral Neuropathy in Children Treated With Vincristine.
abstract: Patients treated with vincristine predictably develop peripheral neuropathy. The aim of our study was to investigate the pattern of vincristine-induced neuropathy in children by nerve conduction studies and somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEPs). We included data from 39 children who received vincristine for various pediatric malignancies, and we performed initial and follow-up (after a minimum of 4 doses of vincristine 1.5 mg/m) conduction studies in 27 patients and SSEPs studies in 34 patients. On follow-up the most prevalent symptoms were paresthesias (44%) and constipation (22%), and the most common neurological sign was impaired myotatic reflexes (89%). Performing nerve conduction studies we found that significant reductions were measured for distal amplitudes, distal latencies were prolonged, and conduction velocities were relatively preserved. The most pronounced differences in amplitudes and distal latencies were measured in the peroneal nerves. Changes of SSEPs studies were subtle. Vincristine-induced neuropathy presents with primary axonal involvement and is more pronounced on motor neurons. We found a trend between higher age and higher dose and the degree of neuropathy in our group of patients.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology §Department of Neurology ∥Unit of Special Laboratory Diagnostics, University Children's Hospital of Ljubljana †Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, UMC Ljubljana Departments of ‡Neurology ¶Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kavcic
authors.forename: Blaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koritnik
authors.forename: Matevz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krzan
authors.forename: Orjana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Velikonja
authors.forename: Tomaz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Prelog
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanovic
authors.forename: Maruša
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Debeljak
authors.forename: Janez
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jazbec
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D014750:Vincristine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine