Enteral nutrition support for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the stage of induction chemotherapy and effect on chemotherapy complications / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To observe the changes in nutrition indicators and the effect on chemotherapy complications as well as the safety of enteral nutrition by way of providing enteral nutrition support for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at the stage of induction chemotherapy.@*Methods@#From November 2016 to September 2017, 60 children with newly diagnosed ALL at the Hematology Oncology Center of Beijing Children′s Hospital were enrolled in this study.They were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, 30 cases for each group.The experimental group was given a high-calorie diet, high-quality protein, and high-medium-chain trigly-ceride enteral nutrition on the basis of a conventional low-fat diet, and the duration lasted the whole induction treatment of ALL children; while the control group was given a low-fat diet routinely.By analyzing relevant indicators before induction chemotherapy (D0), chemotherapy day 15 (D15), and after chemotherapy (D33), the changes in nutritional status and the effect on chemotherapy complications in 2 groups were investigated.@*Results@#There was no significant difference in the body mass index (BMI) and the thickness of triceps skinfold between 2 groups before and after chemotherapy (all P>0.05). The upper arm circumference increased after chemotherapy in the experimental group[before treatment (15.80±2.63) cm, after treatment (16.27±2.57) cm], while that of the control group decreased slightly[before chemotherapy (17.19±3.71) cm, after chemotherapy (17.15±3.64) cm], and the difference between 2 groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). After chemotherapy, the total protein levels in two groups decreased[the experimental group (64.52±4.85) g/L, the control group (61.97±4.65) g/L] which was significantly different from that before chemotherapy [the experimental group (68.17±6.37) g/L, the control group (68.08±5.14) g/L] (P<0.01). The total protein level of the experimental group after chemotherapy was significant higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). Both albumin levels in 2 groups increased after chemotherapy [(42.45±4.32) g/L in the experimental group and (41.15±3.73) g/L in the control group], and there was a significant difference between 2 groups before chemotherapy [(39.54±3.26) g/L in the experimental group and (40.01±4.37) g/L in the control group] (P<0.05). The level of prealbumin increased after chemotherapy in both groups [(324.57±64.328) mg/L in the experimental group and (293.07±69.09) mg/L in the control group] compared with that before chemotherapy [(121.10±35.13) mg/L in the experimental group and(131.20±52.77) mg/L in the control group]. The change was statistically significant (P<0.01). The albumin level in the experimental group before chemotherapy was lower than that in the control group after chemotherapy, but it was higher than that in the control group after chemotherapy.Protein differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The reduction rate of elemental iron in the experimental group after chemotherapy was lower than that in the control group, but it was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Elemental zinc was not significantly different compared with the control group.The incidence of neutropenia after chemotherapy in ALL children was higher (37/60 cases, 61.67%). The recovery of neutropenia after chemotherapy in the experimental group was better than that in the control group.After chemotherapy, the severity of anemia in the experimental group was lighter than that in the control group.The amount of blood transfusion required and amount of transfusion per capita were less than those in the control group (54 person-times vs.74 person-times, 2.45 times vs.3.08 times). The total number of transfused blood products was less than that of the control group (78 person-times vs.101 person-times), but none of the findings above were statistically significant (all P>0.05). The degree of hepatic damage in the experimental group decreased after chemotherapy, but there was no significant change in the control group.The initial activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT) prolongation in the trial group was more than that in the control group (5 cases vs.3 cases), and less than the control group (0 case vs.1 case) after chemotherapy.The frequency of fever in the experimental group during chemotherapy was less than that in the control group (6 cases vs.8 cases), and the average time of fever was shorter than that in the control group (2.8 d vs.4.1 d). None of the above findings were statistically significant (all P>0.05). During the course of chemotherapy, 0 pancreatitis occurred in the experimental group, and 1 pancreatitis occurred in the control group.There was no difference in remission rates between 2 groups of chemotherapy for 15 days and chemotherapy for 33 days.@*Conclusions@#The nutritional status of children with ALL was reduced after initial induction chemotherapy.Enteral nutrition support was helpful to maintain the nutritional status for children at the initial stage of chemotherapy, high-calorie diet, high-quality protein, and high-medium-chain triglyceride enteral nutrition support improves blood system tolerance to chemotherapy and reduces chemotherapy complications.