Objective  To investigate the nutritional status of children acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during induced remission stage. The effects of the disease itself, treatment, and complications of malnutrition were all analyzed.

  Methods  From the medical records of children with ALL in the pediatric hematological department of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, we collected basic information of the children; monitored the height and weight of the children on the first, 15th, and 33rd days of induced remission treatment; and calculated their body mass index (BMI), as well as results of laboratory tests such as serum albumin and serum prealbumin. SPSS 23.0 software was used for data analysis.

  Results  In 40 children with ALL, there were 16 cases of malnutrition on the first day of induced remission treatment accounting for 40%, 14 cases on both the 15th day and the 33rd day of treatment accounting for 35%. Among children with malnutrition, 4 cases of moderate to severe malnutrition occurred on the first day of treatment accounting for 25.0%, 9 cases on the 15th day accounting for 64.3%, and 12 cases on the 33rd day accounting for 85.7%. Compared with day 1 and day 33, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.017). In the induced remission period, the BMI on the first day was (15.98±2.17) kg/m²; on the 15th day, it was (15.65±2.20) kg/m²; and on the 33rd day, it was (15.66±1.92) kg/m². The difference between the three was not statistically significant (P=0.730). In the single-factor analysis of factors related to the nutritional status of children, infection, digestive system involvement, and serum albumin levels were related to the occurrence of malnutrition, and we performed multifactor analysis of these three factors. The difference between the level of infection and serum albumin and the occurrence of malnutrition was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

  Conclusions  During the induced remission, the malnutrition degree of some children with ALL was aggravated. Infection was a high-risk factor for malnutrition in children with ALL. The decrease in serum albumin level may indicate the occurrence of malnutrition. Dynamic monitoring of nutritional status in children with ALL is necessary.