Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of busulfan and cyclophosphamide (BUCY) as conditioning regimen for bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on growth of children following BMT.
Patients and methods: Growth assessment was prospectively done in all 25 children who underwent BMT following BUCY conditioning from 1989 to 1994 at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The height and growth rates were expressed as standard deviation scores (SDS). The height SDS prior to BMT were compared with 1, 2, and 3 years post-BMT. The growth rate SDS 1 year and 2 years post-BMT were also compared. Pubertal children were excluded from the analysis of growth rate. Median age of patients was 7 years (range, 1.3-15 years). A total of 22/25 patients were transplanted for AML, and three patients had myelodysplastic syndrome. Equal numbers of patients had autologous and allogeneic transplants. Seven patients received corticosteroids for varying lengths of time. The pre-BMT height SDS (mean +/- SD) for the group was -0.4 +/- 1.3. The mean height SDS for 19 children at 1 year post-BMT was +/- 0.1 +/- 1.2 and for 10 children, 2 years post-BMT was -0.3 +/- 1.6. Seven children who were 3 years post-BMT had the mean height SDS of -0.2 +/- 1.5. There was no statistically significant difference between pre-BMT height SDS and 1 year post-BMT (p = 0.49) and 2 years post-BMT (p = 0.42). The mean growth rate at 1 year post-BMT was -0.1 +/- 2.7 and at 2 years post-BMT was -0.9 +/- 2.3. The difference was not statistically different (p = 0.15). Somatomedin-C (insulin growth factor 1, IGF-1) levels were normal in all 13 children tested at 1 year post-BMT. IGF binding protein (BP)-3 levels were done in 10 children at 1 year and were found to be normal in all. Thyroid function studies were done in all patients pre-BMT and 1 year post-BMT and were normal for all. Bone age assessment was appropriate for age in all 14 patients tested at 1 year post-BMT.
Conclusions: There was no evidence of growth failure following BMT with BUCY conditioning in this group of patients.