Objective:

To describe the cardiovascular effects of childhood cancer treatment in survivors through clinical, electrocardiogram and echocardiographic methods.

Material and methods:

Prospective, observational case-control study of 34 patients of a Childhood Cancer Survivors Clinic, evaluated clinically, with electrocardiogram, with conventional echocardiography and strain. Average age 13.03 years; cumulative average anthracyclic dose 219.5 mg/m2; seven also with chest radiation. Analysis with student T tests and linear regression.

Results:

Left ejection fraction in survivors was preserved. Longitudinal left strain in 2, 3 chambers and circumferential was decreased in survivors (p < 0.05). Those undergoing radiotherapy and anthracyclic presented increased heart rate, ejection fraction and left shortening fraction decreased (< 0.05). Right ventricle without significant changes.

Discussion and conclusions:

There are a large number of childhood cancer survivors treated with cardiotoxics and radiotherapy. They may present changes in ventricular myocardial strain (even with normal ejection fraction) and/or arrhythmias, as evidenced in the group studied, which is consistent with previous international studies. Its complete cardiovascular evaluation is important to predict the risk of heart failure as part of a protocolized follow-up in well-established cardio oncology clinics.

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