Late Effects of Childhood ALL Treatment on Body Mass Index and Serum Leptin Levels

Background It is well known that survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) show a tendency to become overweight. Cranial irradiation (CRT), is considered to be the primary risk factor for development of obesity. Aims The aim of our study was to evaluate body mass index (BMI) and serum leptin levels in survivors of childhood ALL. Methods Subjects (Group I) consisted of 93 survivors of childhood ALL (53 males > or = 9 years old, 40 females > or = 8 years old) diagnosed between January 1975 and December 2002 in the Hematology-Oncology Division in Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University after a follow up 10.21 +/- 4.90 (mean +/- SD) years. Fifty healthy individuals of similar chronological age were taken as controls (29 males, 21 females). Seventy-four subjects had received radiotherapy (Group IA) and 19 had not (Group I B). Results In Group I, BMI was significantly higher than in Group II (21.65 +/- 4.02 vs 20.31 +/- 3.49, p = 0.04). However, BMI was significantly higher only in Group I A (21.83 +/- 4.27) than in Group II (p = 0.032). Leptin levels were significantly higher in Group I A females than in Group II females. There was a significant correlation between BMI-SDS and serum leptin levels in group IA females. Conclusions Leukemia treatment leads to obesity. Higher leptin levels in girls may suggest that sex may be a differentiating factor for this late effect.