Vincristine and Peripheral Neuropathy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Children

Abstract

Objective: Peripheral neuropathy is a common neurological side effect in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) pediatric patients, receiving vincristine treatment. This study aims to explore the frequency, clinical, and electrodiagnosis of peripheral neuropathy of ALL patients.Material and Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study, using medical record reviews of children who, diagnosed and undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, from 1st January 2018 till 31st December 2022.Results: One hundred and ninety-seven patients were diagnosed with ALL and received chemotherapy. Ten patients had clinical and electrodiagnostic studies of peripheral neuropathy. B-cell type and high- risk classification were the most common in these patients. The most common symptom was bilateral foot drop and all patients had hyporeflexia. The mean cumulative dose of vincristine was 13.35±2.12 mg/m2. The axonal neuropathy, with motor dominantly and the peroneal nerves, were the highest abnormal finding in electrodiagnosis testing.Conclusion: This report addresses the frequent and clinical of patients with peripheral neuropathy. Foot drop and hyporeflexia might be helpful in early detection of peripheral neuropathy in ALL patients.