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Longitudinal nutritional assessment in acute lymphoblastic leukemia during treatment
Author(s) -
Higashiyama Yukie,
Kojima Chiaki,
Kubota Masaru,
Nagai Ayako,
Watanabe Kenichiro,
Adachi Souichi,
Usami Ikuya
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/ped.12326
Subject(s) - medicine , underweight , overweight , anthropometry , chemotherapy , body mass index , albumin , serum albumin , pediatrics , chemotherapy regimen , longitudinal study , pathology
Background A nutritional assessment of pediatric patients with cancer is important to improve their outcome. The number of longitudinal nutritional studies during treatment, however, is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal changes in anthropometric measures and serum albumin level during chemotherapy in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( ALL ). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 23 patients (19 boys, four girls) with ALL from A pril 2007 to M arch 2010. The median age at diagnosis was 4.5 years. Bodyweight, height, and serum albumin levels were measured at the start and the end point of each chemotherapy phase. Results A t diagnosis, two patients (8.7%) were underweight and five patients (21.7%) were overweight according to body mass index z‐score, while five patients were underweight and three (13.0%) were overweight according to Waterlow score. The prevalence of malnourished patients did not change significantly throughout chemotherapy by either assessment. The absolute scores in either assessment were significantly reduced at the sanctuary treatment phase. Low serum albumin (<3.2 g/dL) was found in two patients at diagnosis. Mean albumin decreased significantly at the induction and the re‐induction phases. Conclusions Given that nutritional status under a similar chemotherapeutic regimen as assessed by anthropometric measures and albumin level differed among patients, careful observation of the nutritional status and intervention may be necessary at different phases of chemotherapy.