POST-TREATMENT NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the nutritional status after treatment in pediatric patients who have completed treatment with the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Methodology: We analyzed the data obtained by evaluating patients’ answers to the questionnaire consisting of questions containing a Likert scale, laboratory tests, and anthropometric measures. Results: Forty-one patients (22 male, 19 female) aged between four and 19 years with a mean age of 11.98 ±3.74 years were included. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 66.31±33.06 percentile, mean bone age was12.16±3.99 years. In 40 patients under the age of 19 years, one patient (2.5%) was underweight, 23 patients (57.5%) were normal, six patients (15%) were overweight, six patients were (15%) obese, four patients (10%) were extremely obese. There was no statistically significant difference between the genders in terms of BMI (p:0.828). Of the 41 patients, 73.2% stated that their eating habits changed negatively after the treatment was completed, 2.4% used nutritional supplements, 4.9% used herbal medicine. 17.1% of the patients consumed two meals/day a day, 70.7% three meals/day, 7.3% meals/day, 4.9% 4≤ meals/day; 34.1% were fed mostly with carbohydrates, 7.3% mostly with protein, 17.1% with mostly fat-containing food, 4.9% with mostly processed food and 36.6% were fed with a balanced diet. In their daily diets, 51.2% of the patients consumed processed food, and 48.8% did not consume any processed food. Of the patients, 80.5% were not involved in any kind of sports activity. 14.6% of patients stated that they spend > 5 hours/day, 12.2% 3-5 hours/day, 70.7% 1-3 hours/day, and 2.4% < one hour/day in front of a screen. In 73.2% of patients’ vitamin D level was <12 ng/mL and in 26.8% between 12 and 20, ng/mL. In 19.5% vitamin B12 level was < 200 pg/mL. Selenium deficiency was detected in 12.2%, zinc deficiency in 29.3%, vitamin C deficiency in 12.2%. Conclusion: Nutritional disturbances are not uncommon in survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is important to closely monitor and raise awareness of these children in terms of unbalanced nutrition, inactivity, and the development of a tendency to gain weight.