Bone Mineral Density, Fracture Risk and Avascular Bone Necrosis in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; an Up-Date of the Prospective DUTCH ALL9 Study.

The high cumulative dose of dexamethasone, applied in the DCOG ALL9 protocol, prompted us to investigate the risk of osteoporosis, fractures and avascular necroses of bone (AVN) in children treated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Fracture risk and incidence of symptomatic AVN was assessed in 778 patients(482 boys, 297 girls), included in the ALL9 protocol since 1997. Total cumulative doses (TCD) of dexamethasone were 1370 mg/m² and 1244 mg/m² and of MTX 8.1g/m² 13.6g/m² for NHR and HR patients respectively. No CNS-irradiation was applied. In children aged >3 years, lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXAscan), at diagnosis(T0), after 32 weeks(T1), at discontinuation of treatment at 109 weeks(T2), and one year after discontinuation of treatment(T3). Results were expressed as standard deviation scores (SDS). Symptomatic AVN was defined as on MRI confirmed AVN lesions in combination with non-vincristine related persistent pain in arms or legs. Fractures were reported in 82/778 (10.5%) patients. Most occurred after mild trauma. No difference was found in fracture incidence between boys and girls. BMD was measured in 387/427 (90.6%) eligible patients. Median BMD-SDS was significantly lower than zero at all times of evaluation, the lowest BMD values were found at T2 (−1.47 SDS). Fracture risk was 3.9 times higher as compared to healthy school children. Fracture incidence was correlated with BMD at T2 and T3(p=0.04 and p=0,04 respectively), but not at T0 and T1. A significant more rapid decline in BMD from T0 to T2 and to T3 was seen in patients with fractures as compared to patients without fractures. After discontinuation of therapy, BMD recovered faster in cases without fractures. Symptomatic AVN occurred in 33/778 (4.2%) of our patients (med age 14, range 6,5–18 years) showing irreversibility in 22 % of the cases. Differences found in the incidence between the centers may suggest underestimation of the risk of fractures and AVN in this prospective study. Children with ALL show a significantly increased fracture risk. Patients with a more severe reduction in BMD during treatment are more susceptible to fractures. The AVN incidence in this protocol did not exceed previous reports of prednisolone-based protocols.