The Nutritional Trajectory of Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A 10-Year Follow up Study from a Referral Center in South India

ObjectiveSurvivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are vulnerable to late adverse events such as obesity and an associated metabolic syndrome.MethodsChildren treated for ALL from 2002 to 2012 were included. BMI was calculated at diagnosis, end of treatment, and 5, 8, and 10-years from diagnosis. BMI-centiles were used to categorize the patients: underweight (<5th-percentile), normal (5th-85th percentile), overweight (85th-95th percentile), and obese (>= 95th centile).ResultsThe study included 179 children with ALL (median age: 59-months). The proportions of patients who were underweight, normal, overweight/obese, were 37%, 56% and 7%, respectively, at diagnosis; and 15%, 51% and 34%, respectively, at 5-years from diagnosis. The median (IQR) BMI Z-score at diagnosis was -1.12(-2.40, -0.26). The median (IQR) BMI z-score of the cohort was higher after 5 [0.22(-0.83,1.24), P < 0.001] and 10-years of diagnosis [0.30(-0.69,0.99), P < 0.001], respectively. The proportion of overweight/obese individuals was higher after 5 (34%, P < 0.001) and 10 (26%, P = 0.001) years. There was a significant correlation between the baseline BMI Z-score and that observed after 5-years (rho = 0.49, P < 0.001), and 10-years (rho = 0.55, P < 0.001).ConclusionAt 10-years of follow-up, >25% of children with ALL were overweight/obese. The BMI Z-score at the time of diagnosis continued to correlate with the Z-score after 10-years.