Predictors of being overweight or obese in survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

BACKGROUND: A high prevalence of obesity has been increasingly recognized in survivors of pediatric ALL. However, longitudinal patterns of weight change during and after treatment, and associated factors, are less well elucidated. PROCEDURE: In a retrospective cohort of 83 pediatric patients with ALL diagnosed between 1985 and 2010, we examined body mass index (BMI) status at several key time points: diagnosis; end of induction; end of consolidation; every 6 months during maintenance; and yearly for up to 5 years post-treatment. RESULTS: At diagnosis, 21% were overweight (BMI = 85-94.9th percentile) or obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile). At the end of treatment and 5 years post-treatment, approximately 40% were overweight or obese. The mean BMI z-score was 0.2 (58th percentile) at diagnosis and increased significantly during induction (Δ = 0.5, P < 0.0001). It increased again during the first 6 months of maintenance (Δ = 0.2, P < 0.01) and did not significantly change over the remainder of maintenance (BMI z-score at the end of treatment = 0.8, 79th percentile) and 5 years post-treatment (BMI z-score = 0.7, 76th percentile). High BMI z-score at diagnosis was associated with an increased risk of being overweight/obese at treatment completion (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.6-5.1). Weight gain during treatment was associated with being overweight/obese 5 years post-treatment (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.1-12.5). CONCLUSION: Children with ALL are at risk of becoming overweight/obese early in treatment. Increases in weight are maintained throughout treatment and beyond. Lifestyle interventions are needed targeting weight control early during treatment, particularly for patients overweight/obese at diagnosis and those who experience substantial weight gain during treatment.

Challenges of autism in the inpatient setting.

CASE: Julie is a 4-year-old girl with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who presented to the emergency room with severe unilateral hip pain and limping. Initial evaluation indicated increased inflammatory markers and blasts on a blood smear. A bone marrow biopsy revealed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and Julie was admitted for induction chemotherapy. Julie was diagnosed with ASD 1 year before this presentation. Her parents, who had immigrated to the United States from China before her birth, indicated that it took them some time to accept the diagnosis of ASD but they were feeling more confident in addressing her behavior challenges and comfortable with the progress she had been making. They now expressed concerns about the possible loss of services in the setting of her hospitalization. At the time of diagnosis, Julie had been receiving in-home behavioral therapy (applied behavioral analysis), speech therapy, and occupational therapy at a hospital-based center. In addition, she had an individualized education plan and was enrolled in a specialized preschool classroom for children with ASD.As Julie's hospital stay became more prolonged, her medical care team started reporting more challenges communicating with Julie without the presence of 1 of her parents, difficulty conducting routine care (e.g., obtaining vitals), sleep disruption, and safety concerns (e.g., Julie would frequently climb on the window sill increasing her fall risk). As her primary care clinician, you are called by the hospital team to help bridge the communication and behavioral divide that has widened--what would you do next?