Aerobic and Strengthening Exercise for Acute Leukemia

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

In brief

Survivors of childhood leukemia have muscle weakness and impaired mobility (physical performance), a higher than expected frequency of obesity, and early mortality from cardiovascular disease. Treatment related neuropathy, cardiotoxicity and general cachexia may complicate physical performance and establish a pattern of sedentary behavior that may lead to a lifetime of inactivity. There is limited evidence that children being treated for leukemia benefit from home exercise programs during the maintenance phase of therapy, particularly in terms of muscle strength and range of motion. However, there are no established guidelines regarding the prescription of exercise for children diagnosed with leukemia. We propose to test the feasibility of an exercise intervention among children being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and hypothesize that children who participate in the exercise intervention will demonstrate improvements in gross motor function, strength, flexibility, and cardio respiratory fitness, and that they will have more favorable body composition when compared to the children who are assigned to the usual activity group.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00766311

Run by

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

People needed

20

Starts

2008-01-01

Expected to finish

2011-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2012-01-09

Who can join

Age: 5 and older, up to 10. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Diagnosed with childhood ALL when age greater than 1 and less than 10 at diagnosis, white blood cell count less than 50,000 cells/microliter and receiving continuation/maintenance therapy based on the original disease classification
• In first remission
• Maintenance phase of therapy (Eligibility extends from Day 0 of maintenance therapy up to six months prior to the completion of therapy)
• Current age 5-10 years
• Modified Lansky performance scale must score 60 or higher at time of enrollment
• Written informed consent

You may not qualify if…

• Lower extremity amputation or congenital deformity of lower limb
• History of pre-existing neuron-motor or neuro-developmental disorder prior to diagnosis of childhood ALL, such as mental retardation, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injury
• Pre-existing heart or lung disease by clinical history
• Children with specific contraindications to exercise will be offered enrollment after this transient condition is resolved: severe anemia (Hemoglobin less than 8 g/dl), fever greater than 38 degrees Centigrade, platelets less than 50*109/ul, neutrophil counts less than 0.5*109/ul.

Where it is running

• Oregon Health and Science University — Portland, Oregon, United States
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — Memphis, Tennessee, United States
• Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center — Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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