Visual-evoked potentials in long-term survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in childhood. The German Late Effects Working Group

Neuropediatrics. 1996 Aug;27(4):194-6. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-973786.

Abstract

Visual-evoked potentials (VEPs) were studied in 92 asymptomatic long-term survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first complete remission 6-7 years after cessation of therapy in order to detect therapy-related disturbances in conduction velocity capacities within central nerve fibers. Subjects were grouped with respect to CNS prophylaxis: a) ith. MTX and 18 GY cranial irradiation (group A, n = 58), b) ith. MTX and iv. MHD-MTX, no cranial irradiation (group B, n = 34). At follow-up VEPs were abnormal in 10 subjects (10.9%) with comparable rates in both CNS prophylaxis groups (A: 7/58 [12.1%], B: 3/34 [8.8%]; p = 0.56). Participants with radiological signs of leukodystrophy (n = 14), all within the irradiated CNS prophylaxis group showed significantly prolonged P100 latencies and had a 6.1-fold increased relative risk to develop VEP disturbances. No correlation could be established between VEP outcome and illness- or treatment-related parameters. VEP outcome was not correlated with age at diagnosis or gender. Thus, VEP recordings showed a close relationship with radiation-induced CNS white-matter disturbances. However, their value for clinical practice, routinely performed follow-up evaluations or standardized posttreatment surveillance studies is negligible.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Age of Onset
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Austria
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Combined Modality Therapy / adverse effects
  • Cranial Irradiation / adverse effects*
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / drug effects*
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / radiation effects*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Intelligence
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage
  • Methotrexate / adverse effects*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / physiopathology*
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / therapy
  • Survivors*

Substances

  • Methotrexate