Monitoring of Cardiotoxicity during Induction Chemotherapy in Acute Leukemia with Biochemical Markers
2005
Abstract
Cardiotoxicity is a well-known and serious complication of antitumorous treatment. Anthracyclines represent the greatest risk.
Biochemical markers of structural and functional myocardial damage have been gaining ground in cardiotoxicity diagnostics. Our results show that induction chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukemia (Idarubicin 36 mg/m2 and intermediate doses of Cytarabine): 1. does not cause detectable damage of the myocyte structure; 2. is in all patients associated with acute neurohumoral activation (transient elevation of NT-proBNP) indicating acute subclinical cardiotoxicity, 3. may lead to congestive heart failure and NT-proBNP seems to be a promising early marker and predictor of this complication.