L-asparaginase induced hyperlipidaemia in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate hyperlipidaemia in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) receiving L-asparaginase.

METHODS

A case-control study carried out between October 2007 and October 2010 with 77 patients undergoing chemotherapy at a teaching children's hospital in Babol, Iran. Patients were treated with anti-leukaemic agents according to the protocols for standard-risk and high-risk ALL. Those patients who received asparaginase represented the cases and those who did not receive it were the controls. Biochemical markers were checked during the induction phase chemotherapy. Lipid profile of patients was recorded. Data was analysed using SPSS 16.

RESULTS

Of the 77 patients, 37 (48.05%) received asparaginase therapy and 40 (51.94%) patients did not.The mean peak triglyceride and cholesterol levels during asparaginase therapy in the first group were significantly higher than the levels in the second group.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe hyperlipidaemia may be the cause of some morbidity in children receiving asparaginase. Asparaginase-induced hyperlipidaemia should be monitored in ALL patients during the induction phase of treatment.