A Swiss Assessment of Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal Axis Suppression After Glucocorticoid Therapy for Leukemia and Lymphoblastic Lymphoma in Children

Launched by UNIVERSITY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BASEL · Mar 5, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how the body’s natural production of stress hormones, called glucocorticoids, is affected in children being treated for lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma. Glucocorticoids are important for regulating inflammation and the immune system, but when children receive high doses of these hormones as part of their cancer treatment, their bodies may not produce enough on their own. This can lead to a condition called adrenal insufficiency, which can increase the risk of infections, especially since these children are already vulnerable due to their cancer treatment.

To participate in the study, children must be diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) and have received glucocorticoid treatment for at least 21 consecutive days during the study period. The trial will involve regular, low-dose tests to measure how well their bodies are producing glucocorticoids, and these tests will be done while the children are already in the hospital for their treatment to minimize any additional burden. By understanding how often and for how long glucocorticoid production is affected, the researchers hope to improve the detection and treatment of this deficiency in children with these cancers.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • diagnosed with ALL or LBL
• • treated for at least 21 sequential days with glucocorticoids between the 01.07.2024 and the 30.06.2027 at the Childrens University Hospital of Basel or at the Childrens Hospital of Aarau
• • lnformed consent can be obtained from the patient\'s legal representatives (and the patient if at least 14 years of age) within week 2 of treatment with glucocorticoids
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • - Contraindication to the administration of intravenous synthetical ACTH (Synacthen®): extremely rare cases of known or suspected hypersensitivity to Synacthen®.