Dietary intakes in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during chemotherapy

Inadequate nutrient intakes are among causes of malnutrition in patients with cancers. This study was conducted to assess daily intakes of energy, macronutrients, vitamins C (VC), and E (VE) in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at time of diagnosis (baseline) and during the 6‐month period of chemotherapy.Ten pediatric patients, newly diagnosed with ALL, and 10 age‐matched healthy children (as controls) were enrolled. A 3‐day food record and food frequency questionnaires were used for evaluation of daily intakes of energy, macronutrients, VC, and VE in patients at baseline, 3, and 6 months of chemotherapy. In controls, the data was collected at recruitment.The mean energy, VC, and VE intakes were not different between patients and controls at enrollment. The patients had lower energy and carbohydrate intakes at 3 months during chemotherapy than at baseline (p = 0.023). At 6 months, energy and macronutrient intakes were higher than those at 3 months, No difference was found between those at 6 months and baseline except protein, which was higher than that at baseline (p = 0.038). VC and VE intakes at 3 and 6 months were lower than at baseline (p = 0.018).In conclusion, dietary intakes in patients with ALL had changed during chemotherapy. Therefore, dietary intakes should be monitored to prevent malnutrition in these patients.This study was funded by the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Research Grant