NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA DURING CHEMOTHERAPY

Background and Aim: Cancer-induced malnutrition and chemotherapy increase death, reduce response to treatment, and increase side effects in patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional status of acute myeloid leukemia patients under chemotherapy in Shariati Hospital in Tehran in 2017-2018.Methods: 60 patients with AML were included in the study. Nutritional status, weight and clinical symptoms were evaluated by PG-SGA questionnaire before and 14 days after chemotherapy. Data were analyzed by SPSS 21 software by means of correlation and ANOVA tests. All the patients received same standard induction chemotherapyResults: The mean weight before chemotherapy was 76.77 12.81 that decreased to 71.83 12.46 after chemotherapy (P value=0/02). Before chemotherapy, 26% of patients had a good nutritional status, 36% suspected malnutrition and 38% had severe malnutrition. After chemotherapy, 8%, 30% and 62% of patients had adequate nutrition, suspected malnutrition and severe malnutrition, respectively. Anorexia and nausea are the most common causes of poor nutritional status during chemotherapy.Conclusion: As regards patients with a good nutritional status at the end of chemotherapy are less than one-third and patients with severe malnutrition are almost twice as likely, nutritional intervention is essential in acute myeloid leukemia patients under chemotherapy.

Keywords:

Nutrition status , Cancer , Malnutrition , Chemotherapy , Acute Myeloid Leukemia , Weight , PG-SGA