Key result
Childhood anthracycline therapy is linked to increased subclinical arterial stiffness in young adults versus controls.
Why the study?
Does childhood anthracycline treatment increase arterial stiffness and alter diastolic function in pediatric cancer survivors?
Cross-Sectional (n=308)
No
Does childhood anthracycline treatment increase arterial stiffness and alter diastolic function in pediatric cancer survivors?
Childhood anthracycline exposure is associated with subclinical increases in arterial stiffness and decreased diastolic function detectable in late adolescence and early adulthood.
Suggests early vascular aging may precede overt cardiotoxicity in young anthracycline survivors; leaves open.
Anthracyclines represent one of the important classes of anti-cancer drugs; however, their major disadvantage is their profound cardiovascular toxicity. This study aimed to evaluate influence of anthracyclines on cardiovascular stiffness parameters estimated from pulse wave (PW). PW was measured in 59 cancer survivors treated with anthracyclines in childhood and in 248 healthy age-matched controls. Both patients and controls were divided into three age groups (13 - 15, 16 - 18 and 19 - 24 years). Central PW augmentation index (C-AI75) and augmentation pressure (C-AP75), both normalized to heart rate 75 bpm, were calculated as parameters of arterial wall stiffness. Central Buckberg sub-endocardial viability ratio (SEVR) was calculated as a parameter of diastolic function. Patients and controls were compared in each age group. C-AI75 and C-AP75 were significantly increased in patients in age groups 16 - 18 and 19 - 24 years. SEVR was decreased in patients in the oldest age group. Our results suggest that although toxic influence of anthracyclines to arterial wall and heart are developing during childhood and puberty, they can be detected rather in the adulthood. These changes are yet subclinical; however, their presence indicates potentially increased cardiovascular risk in childhood cancer survivors treated with anthracyclines during childhood.
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Budinskaya et al. (2017) conducted a cross-sectional in Childhood cancer survivors (n=308). Anthracycline treatment in childhood vs. Healthy age-matched controls was evaluated on Arterial wall stiffness (Central augmentation index [C-AI75] and augmentation pressure [C-AP75]) (p=<0.05). Childhood cancer survivors treated with anthracyclines showed significantly increased central augmentation index and augmentation pressure at ages 16-24 compared to healthy controls, indicating subclinical arterial stiffness.
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