Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2006 Jul-Sep;9(3):267-74.
doi: 10.1080/13638490500523150.

Physical function and fitness in long-term survivors of childhood leukaemia

Marco van Brussel  1 , Tim Takken, Janjaap van der Net, Raoul H H Engelbert, Marc Bierings, Marja A G C Schoenmakers, Paul J M Helders
Affiliations

Physical function and fitness in long-term survivors of childhood leukaemia

Marco van Brussel et al. Pediatr Rehabil. 2006 Jul-Sep.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the physical function and fitness in survivors of childhood leukaemia 5-6 years after cessation of chemotherapy.

Materials and methods: Thirteen children (six boys and seven girls; mean age 15.5 years) who were treated for leukaemia were studied 5-6 years after cessation of therapy. Physical function and fitness were determined by anthropometry, motor performance, muscle strength, anaerobic and aerobic exercise capacity.

Results: On motor performance, seven of the 13 patients showed significant problems in the hand-eye co-ordination domain. Muscle strength only showed a significantly lower value in the mean strength of the knee extensors. The aerobic and the anaerobic capacity were both significantly reduced compared to reference values.

Conclusion: Even 5-6 years after cessation of childhood leukaemia treatment, there are still clear late effects on motor performance and physical fitness. Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and muscle atrophies are probably the prominent cause for these reduced test results. Physical training might be indicated for patients surviving leukaemia to improve fitness levels and muscle strength.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types