Early myocardial injury in children on cancer chemotherapy: A cross-sectional study in a tertiary referral centre in Kenya

Abstract

Abstract INTRODUCTION : Use of doxorubicin, an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent has been associated with late-occurring cardiac toxicities. Detection of early-occurring cardiac effects of cancer chemotherapy is essential so as to prevent occurrence of adverse events including toxicity, myocardial dysfunction, and death. OBJECTIVE : To investigate the prevalence of elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and associated factors of myocardial injury in children on doxorubicin cancer chemotherapy. METHODS: Design : A cross-sectional study Setting and subjects : A hospital-based study conducted on children aged 1-month to 12.4-years who had a diagnosis of cancer and were admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). Interventions and outcomes : The patients underwent Echocardiography (ECHO) before their scheduled chemotherapy infusion. Twenty-four (24) hours after the chemotherapy infusion the patients had an evaluation of the serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and a repeat ECHO. Myocardial injury was defined as cTnT level > 0.014 ng/ml or a Fractional Shortening (FS) of < 29% on ECHO. RESULTS : One hundred (100) children were included in the final analysis. Thirty-two percent (32%) of the study population had an elevated cTnT. A cumulative doxorubicin dose of > 175mg/m 2 was significantly associated with and elevated cTnT (OR, 10.76; 95% CI, 1.18–97.92; p = 0.035). Diagnosis of nephroblastoma was also significantly associated with an elevated cTnT (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.23–7.26; p = 0.105). Nine percent (9%) of the participants had echocardiographic evidence of myocardial injury. CONCLUSION : When compared to echocardiography, elevated levels of cTnT showed a higher association with early-occurring chemotherapy-induced myocardial injury among children on cancer treatment at a tertiary teaching and referral hospital in Kenya.