Back pain and hip pain among survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract

9562 Background: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and relative risk (RR) of back pain and hip pain among childhood leukemia survivors and to identify possible risk factors for this pain among childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors. Methods: Surveys were mailed to 5+ year survivors of childhood ALL aged 13 – 25 years. Survivors’ siblings were also invited to participate in the study to serve as a comparison group. Prevalence of back pain and hip pain among ALL survivors was determined and compared with the sibling cohort. Gender, obesity, physical activity, and treatment with radiation therapy were examined for a possible association with back pain and hip pain. Results: 44 of 99 (44.4%) ALL survivors reported experiencing back pain compared with 11 of 52 (21.2 %) siblings (p value = 0.007; RR = 2.01; 95% CI = 1.15 – 3.56). In contrast, 10 of 99 (10.1 %) ALL survivors reported experiencing hip pain compared with 1 of 52 (2.0%) siblings (p value = 0.07; RR = 4.95 (0.65 – 37.57). 60.5% of female ALL survivors reported back pain compared with only 14.3% of female siblings (p = < 0.001; RR = 4.23, 95% CI = 1.66 – 10.82). In comparison, 32.1% of male ALL survivors reported back pain compared with 31.8% of male siblings (p = 0.978; RR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.049 – 2.08). 20 (45.4%) of 44 ALL survivors who reported back pain and 29 (52.7%) of the 55 survivors who reported no back pain were overweight or obese (p = 0.54). Rates of ALL survivors who reported CDC definitions of moderate and vigorous physical activity were low and were not more frequent among survivors reporting back pain. Treatment with radiation therapy was not associated with back pain. Conclusions: Survivors of childhood ALL have an increased prevalence of back pain. Female survivors appear to be at especially high risk. Future studies are needed to better define the causes of chronic back pain among childhood ALL survivors.