Cardiovascular Function and Exercise Capacity in Childhood Cancer Survivors

Reiner, Barbara; Schmid, Irene; Schulz, Thorsten; Müller, Jan; Hager, Alfred; Hock, Julia; Ewert, Peter; Wolf, Cordula; Oberhoffer-Fritz, Renate und Weil, Jochen (2022): Cardiovascular Function and Exercise Capacity in Childhood Cancer Survivors. In: Journal of Clinical Medicine, Bd. 11, Nr. 3, 628

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) might be at high risk of additional chronic diseases due to cardiotoxic side effects. The aim of this study was to analyze long-term side effects of cancer therapy on vascular structure/function, cardiac biomarkers and on physical activity. Methods: In total, 68 asymptomatic patients aged 16-30 years with childhood cancer (diagnosed 10.6 +/- 3.9 years ago) were examined from 2015-2020. (Central) blood pressure and pulse wave velocity were registered via the oscillometric method, while carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) was measured non-invasively by ultrasound. cIMT values of patients were compared to healthy controls (n = 68;aged 22.3 +/- 3.5 years). Patients' exercise capacity was recorded. The plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic protein (NTproBNP) and troponin levels were measured as cardiac biomarkers. CCS were categorized in groups with low, moderate and high anthracyclines. Results: No differences were found in cIMT between patients and controls as well as between patients with various anthracycline dosage. Patients with high dose anthracyclines showed a significant lower performance versus patients with moderate dose anthracyclines (84.4% of predicted VO(2)peak;p = 0.017). A total of 11.6% of CCS had abnormal NTproBNP values which correlated with received anthracycline dosage (p = 0.024;r = 0.343). Conclusion: NTproBNP levels and exercise capacity might be early markers for cardiovascular dysfunction in CCS and should be included in a follow-up protocol, while cIMT and troponin seem not to be adequate parameters.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• Sprache: Englisch