Characteristics of tumor lysis syndrome in pediatric oncology patients: A single-center observational study.

Abstract

Introduction: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncological emergency that produces alterations in metabolism, causing clinical manifestations and biochemical disorders that endanger the patient's life. TLS constitutes a potentially fatal event that can trigger complications for the patient, such as acute renal failure (AKI), cardiac arrhythmias, and seizures that increase the risk of death; it is currently unpredictable and has diagnostic criteria that are not globally accepted.

Materials and methods: In this study, the characteristics of SLT were identified in pediatric oncology patients at the SOLCA-Cuenca Cancer Institute from 2010 to 2020 through a descriptive-observational study.

Results: 463 medical records were included, in which it was obtained that SLT had a frequency of 5.61%, with a predominance of the male sex (57.7 %) and with a mean age of 7 ± 1.29 years. The most observed clinical presentation was dehydration with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (57.7%). The most frequent laboratory alterations were hyperuricemia and hypocalcemia, with 76.9% and 73.1% respectively. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was the oncological diagnosis with the most cases (61.5%). The pillars of treatment were hyperhydration and the use of allopurinol, used in 100% and 80.8%, respectively.

Conclusion: SLT more frequently affects men with a diagnosis of leukemia, digestive clinical manifestations, and laboratory alterations (hyperuricemia and hypocalcemia). The treatment used was effective and was based on what is recommended by medical literature.