The aim of this study was to determine subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial functional disturbance with measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), brachial artery reactivity (BAR), and levels of serum adhesion molecules in children with solid tumors who were treated with anthracyclines and are actually in complete remission. Fifty patients who were in remission and 30 healthy children were included in the study. Mean ages of patient and control groups were 13.5 ± 4.7 years (range: 3-23 years) and 12.00 ± 4.3 years (range: 4-21 years), respectively. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to cumulative doxorubicin dose: Group 1, ≤100 mg/m(2); Group 2, 101-299 mg/m(2); Group 3, ≥300 mg/m(2). The BAR and carotid IMT were measured in order to determine the endothelial function. The serum adhesion molecule levels in our patients and controls were also measured. The BAR of the patients with cumulative anthracycline dose ≥300 mg/m(2) was significantly lower than the patients with cumulative anthracycline dose ≤100 mg/m(2) and healthy controls (P =.005 and P =.003, respectively). Also, there was a negative correlation between brachial artery reactivity and increasing cumulative anthracycline dose (r = -.287, P =.044). We also found significant difference between the mean carotid IMT of the patients and the healthy children (P =.041). No statistically significant difference was detected between the serum levels of sICAM-1 (soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1), sVCAM-1 (soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1), sE-selectin of the patients and controls. The use of anthracyclines in pediatric patients with cancer could result in increase of the carotid IMT and endothelial dysfunction.
Keywords: Adhesion molecules; anthracycline; brachial artery reactivity; carotid childhood cancer; intima-media thickness.