Carbohydrate metabolism in children after complex treatment of medulloblastoma

BACKGROUND: Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism are frequent complications after complex treatment of cancer. Early detection of these disorders allows to modify lifestyle, if necessary, apply drug therapy and correct the identified changes in time, which will subsequently lead to a decrease in cardiovascular risks, an improvement in the quality and an increase in the life expectancy of this group of patients.
AIM: To identify the frequency of occurrence and determine the optimal methods for early diagnosis of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in children after complex treatment of medulloblastoma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: 97 patients (64 boys) were examined after complex treatment of medulloblastoma (surgical treatment, craniospinal radiation therapy [CSI], chemotherapy). The median age at the time of the survey was 11.2  (5.29 -17.9) years. The average follow-up period after the end of all types of treatment is 4.7 (0.59 - 11.94) years. At the time of examination, all patients were compensated for hypothyroidism and hypocorticism (if any), and no one was on growth hormone therapy. All patients underwent a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and determination of the level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c).
RESULTS: None of the patients had a basal glycemic level higher than 5.5 mmol / L. Impaired glucose tolerance ( glycemia at the 120th minute ≥7.8 mmol / L <11.09 mmol / L) was detected in 10 out of 97 patients (10.3%). 7 patients with IGT had insulin resistance (according to MATSUDA index), while 1 of them had normal HOMA-IR index. Only one patient with IGT had an increase in the level of glycated hemoglobin up to 6.2%. Insulin resistance (using the MATSUDA index) was present in 30 patients, and 11 of them had a normal HOMA-IR index. Thus, 34 out of 97 patients (35.1%) had disorders of carbohydrate metabolism (IGT and / or insulin resistance). At the same time, the level of glycated hemoglobin reflected disturbances in only one case, and the basal level of glycemia was not informative in any case.
CONCLUSION: Assessment of basal levels of glycemia and insulin, as well as glycated hemoglobin, is insufficient to exclude disorders of carbohydrate metabolism in patients after complex treatment of medulloblastoma. It is advisable to carry out a standard OGTT.

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