Journal List > Korean J Hematol > v.42(4) > 1032749

Park, Baek, Han, Lee, Cho, Kim, Kim, Kook, Woo, and Hwang: Final Height of Children after Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract

Background:

Growth impairment is a common complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the final adult height of patients who underwent SCT in childhood and to identify the factors that influence long-term growth in these patients.

Methods:

A retrospective review of 15 children who underwent SCT before puberty at Chonnam National University Hospital and reached final adult height was undertaken. To assess the severity of height reduction and to monitor the height changes longitudinally, height measurements of each patient both at the time of SCT and the final height were expressed as the height standard deviation score (SDS).

Results:

Seven children were males and eight were females with a median age of 12.8±2.4 years (range, 6.3∼14.7) at SCT. The median follow-up period was 7.1±2.0 years (range, 4.5∼11.1) and their final height was achieved at 18.1±1.5 years (range, 17.0∼21.8). Final height SDS values were within normal for the healthy population in all except two who had short stature (below ?2.0 SDS). No patient achieved height values greater than +2.0 SDS. The final height SDS value (?0.5±1.2) was not decreased from the height SDS value at SCT (?0.8±0.8). The younger age group at SCT (6.1∼10.0 years, n=5) showed significantly lower final height SDS and greater ΔSDS than the older age group (10.1∼15.0 years, n=10) (?1.5±0.6 vs. ?0.1±1.1, P<.05; ?1.2±0.7 vs. 0.5±0.8, P<.05, respectively). The irradiation-based conditioning (n=6) had negative effects on the ΔSDS (P>.05) and the final height SDS (P<.05). The gender, type of disease, donor type or the presence of chronic graft-versus-host disease did not influence height.

Conclusion:

Growth impairment may be encountered in children after SCT. A younger age at transplant and irradiation were found to be factors associated with reduced final height. However, most patients (13/15) reached a final adult height within normal limits for the general healthy population.

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Fig. 1
Comparison between mid-parental height and final height. (A) Male, (B) Female.
kjh-42-382f1.tif
Fig. 2
Final SDS (SDS at final height) and ΔSDS (final height SDS-SDS at transplantation) in different age groups. Younger age group (<10 years) shows lower final and ΔSDS than older group (>10 years).
kjh-42-382f2.tif
Fig. 3
ΔSDS (final height SDS-SDS at transplantation) in different irradiation groups. (A) Irradiation group shows lower ΔSDS than non-irradiation group. (B) ΔSDS is the lowest in patients who received TBI, followed by TLI group and no irradiation group.
kjh-42-382f3.tif
Table 1.
Clinical profiles of children at stem cell transplantation
Characteristics
Gender (M:F) 7:8
Mean follow-up period (yrs) 7.1±2.0 (range, 4.5∼11.1)
Type of SCT
  Allogeneic 9
  Autologous 6
Diagnosis and disease status at SCT
  ALL 1 (CR1)
  AML 5 (CR1, 4; CR2, 1)
  Neuroblastoma 1
  Ewing sarcoma 1
  SAA 7

Abbreviations: AML, acute myelogenous leukemia; ALL, acute lymphoblastic leukemia; CR, complete remission; F, female; M, male; SAA, severe aplastic anemia; SCT, stem cell transplantation.

Table 2.
Stem cell transplantation and height SDS
Case Sex Age at SCT Diagnosis Type of SCT Conditioning regimen Height at SCT Height SDS at SCT Final height (cm) Final height SDS ΔSDS
1 F 13.3 ALL Allo Cy+TBI 149.2 -1.5 154.6 -1.3 0.2
2 F 14.7 AML (M4Eo) Allo Bu+Cy 163.5 0.9 170.0 1.7 0.8
3 M 14.2 AML (M3) Auto BCNU+VP-16+Ara-C+Cy 171.0 0.6 180.0 1.0 0.4
4 M 12.9 AML (M3) Auto BCNU+VP-16 +Ara-C+Cy 154.5 -1.0 179.3 0.9 1.9
5 M 13.3 AML (M2) Auto BCNU+VP-16 +Ara-C+Cy 151.0 -1.4 173.9 -0.1 -1.3
6 F 8.7 AML Auto Ara-C+VP-16 +Busulfan 125.5 -1.6 157.5 -0.5 1.1
7 M 9.9 NB Auto mVAMP+TBI 141.5 0.0 162.0 -2.0 -2.0∗
8 M 9.7 Ewing's sarcoma Auto Bu+Melphalan 131.0 -0.9 165.1 -1.6 -0.7
9 M 10.2 SAA Allo Cy+ATG +Procarbazine 138.5 -0.5 167.9 -1.3 0.8
10 F 6.3 SAA Allo Cy+ATG +Procarbazine 108.6 -1.3 152.6 -1.4 -0.1
11 M 13.2 SAA Allo Cy+ATG +Procarbazine 152.5 -1.2 175.8 0.3 1.5
12 F 12.9 SAA Allo Cy+TLI 154.5 -0.6 160.3 0.0 0.6
13 F 13.7 SAA Allo Cy+ATG 147.9 -1.8 151.3 -1.9 -0.1
14 F 11.3 SAA Allo Cy+ATG 139.5 -1.4 160.5 0.0 1.4
15 F 9.6 SAA Allo Cy+ATG+TLI 135.0 -0.1 151.0 -2.0 -1.9∗
Mean 11.6         -0.8   0.5 0.2
±2.4         ±0.8   ±1.2 ±1.2

∗Patients with short stature. Abbreviations: AML, acute myelogenous leukemia; ALL, acute lymphoblastic leukemia; Allo, allogeneic; Ara-C, cytosine arabinoside; Auto, autologous; Bu, busulfan; Cy, cyclophosphamide; mVAMP, modified teniposide, adriamycin, melphalan, carboplatin; NB, neuroblastoma; SAA, severe aplastic anemia; SCT, stem cell transplantation; TBI, total body irradiation; TLI, total lymphoid irradiation; VP-16, etoposide.

Table 3.
Final SDS and ΔSDS by clinical parameters
  Number of patient Final SDS (mean±SD) P ΔSDS (mean±SD) P
Age at SCT
  6.1∼10 (yrs) 5 -1.5±0.6 0.02 -1.2±0.7 0.04
  10.1∼14.9 (yrs) 10 -0.1±1.1   0.5±0.8  
Type of SCT
  Allogeneic 9 -0.7±1.2 0.68 0.4±1.0 0.49
  Autologous 6 -0.4±1.2   -0.1±1.5  
Gender
  Male 7 -0.4±1.2 0.67 0.1±1.5 0.80
  Female 8 -0.7±1.2   0.3±1.0  
Type of disease
  Malignancy 8 -0.2±1.4 0.30 0.1±1.3 0.69
  Non-malignancy 7 -0.9±1.0   0.3±1.2  
Irradiation
  Yes 6 -1.4±0.8 0.02 -0.4±1.2 0.14
  No 9 0.0±1.1   0.6±1.1  
Chronic GVHD
  Yes 3 -1.0±1.2 0.59 0.4±0.9 0.88
  No 6 -0.4±1.3   0.3±1.2  
Table 4.
Height standard deviation by the use of irradiation
Type of irradiation Number of patients Final SDS (mean ±SD) P value ΔSDS (mean ±SD) P value
No 9 0.0±1.1   0.6±1.1  
TBI (12Gy) 2 -1.9±0.0 0.92∗ -1.0±1.2 0.74∗
TLI (7.5Gy) 4 -0.5±1.0   0.0±0.9  

P value between TBI group and TLI group.

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