PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analysed 1748 admissions for fever in 315 Singapore children with non-HR acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) (MS2003, n = 183; MS2010, n = 132), comprising 76% of the total cohort (n = 413), to study the impact of these changes.
RESULTS: The new 2010-PVa which has no doxorubicin, was associated with significantly fewer hospitalisations due to fever (0.08 versus 0.30 admissions per block [A/blk], p
OBJECTIVE: To assess, by diffusion tensor imaging, microstructural integrity of white matter in paediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) following intrathecal and intravenous chemotherapy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven children diagnosed with de novo ALL underwent MRI scans of the brain with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) prior to commencement of chemotherapy and at 12 months after diagnosis, using a 3-tesla (T) MRI scanner. We investigated the changes in DTI parameters in white matter tracts before and after chemotherapy using tract-based spatial statistics overlaid on the International Consortium of Brain Mapping DTI-81 atlas. All of the children underwent formal neurodevelopmental assessment at the two study time points.
RESULTS: Whole-brain DTI analysis showed significant changes between the two time points, affecting several white matter tracts. The tracts demonstrated longitudinal changes of decreasing mean and radial diffusivity. The neurodevelopment of the children was near compatible for age at the end of ALL treatment.
CONCLUSION: The quantification of white matter tracts changes in children undergoing chemotherapy showed improving longitudinal values in DTI metrics (stable fractional anisotropy, decreasing mean and radial diffusivity), which are incompatible with deterioration of microstructural integrity in these children.
METHODS: A total of 127 patients with acute leukaemia (myeloid and lymphoid), of both genders, aged between 13 and 77 years, were examined by an ophthalmologist for retinal changes using direct/indirect ophthalmoscopy within 2 days of diagnosis before starting chemotherapy.
RESULTS: Retinal lesions were seen in 62 cases (49%), with intraretinal haemorrhages being the most common lesion (42%). A high white blood cell count was significantly associated with intraretinal haemorrhages (p = 0.04) and white-centred haemorrhages (p = 0.001), while a low platelet count was significantly associated with intraretinal haemorrhages (p = 0.03) in acute myeloid leukaemia patients.
CONCLUSIONS: A high white blood cell count may be considered as important as a low platelet count in the pathogenesis of leukaemic retinopathy.