Background: The development of curative therapies has led to a growing population of chilhood Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Approximately 75% of survivors experience some adverse event. Cardiac events are among most important adverse events, causing long-term morbidity and early mortality. Seriousness of these cardiovascular late adverse events could be reduced only by their early recognition and also by recommendations of preventive measurements for modifiable cardiovascular risk factors - hyperlipoproteinemia, hypertension, overwight or obesity, smoking. Methods: The aim of our prospective observation study is to compare the lipid profiles, markers of oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction together with evaluation of atherosclerotic changes at main carotid artery between the long-term survivors of childhood Hodgkin lymphoma more than 10 years after the treatment and the matched group of healthy volunteers at the age of 25-40 years. Results: Forty-seven long-term survivors of childhood Hodgkin lymphoma (29 males, 18 females) were recruited - all underwent clinical examination, completed questionnaire collecting information on family history of cardiovascular diseases, subject´s health habits and medical conditions, underwent ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries and their blood specimens were analyzed. Preliminary results are available in forty-four long-term survivors - abnormal levels of blood lipids were found in 52,3% of them. Elevated cholesterol levels (LDL and total cholesterol) were detected in 12 pts. (in three of them also with elevated levels of triglycerides), elevated level of triglycerides was found in four pts., hyperglycemia was found in 12 patients (in 7 patients together with elevated cholesterol or triglycerides levels). Plaques in main carotid artery were found by ultrasonography in two patients, both of them have elevated cholesterol levels. Recruitment of the long-term survivors will continue and of matched group of healthy volunteers will start soon. Conclusions: Our results will give us insight into atherosclerosis development in this specific population and potential impact of hyperlipoproteinemia. It will help us to introduce appropriate guidelines for follow-up and examinations of long-term survivors in the field of specialized health care providers, but also in primary care together with the recommendation of therapeutic interventions in this population.
Supported by grant NV15-30494A