TY - JOUR
T1 - Intermittent High Dose Corticosteroid Treatment in Childhood Cancer
T2 - Behavioral and Emotional Consequences
AU - HARRIS, JAMES C.
AU - CAREL, CYNTHIA A.
AU - ROSENBERG, LEON A.
AU - JOSHI, PARAMJIT
AU - LEVENTHAL, BRIGID G.
N1 - Funding Information:
Received Feb. 2, 1984; revised Oct. 15, 1984 and Feb. 20, 1985; accepted May 2, 1985. Dr. Harris is Associate Professor. Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Carel is Instructor in Psychiatry, Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School. Dr. Rosenberg is Associate Professor. Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Joshi is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, and Dr. Leventhal is Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Oncology, Johns Hopkins University. This investigation was supported by funding from the Serdna Foundation and the Kanner Research Fund (James C. Harris, M.D.) Please address correspondence to: James C. Harris, M.D., CMSC 337. Division of Child Psychiatry, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD21205. We wish to thank the nursing staff in Pediatric Oncology, Ms. Susan Harbold, Ms. Susan Rodgers, Ms. Colleen Blough, and the children and their parents who participated in this investigation. Appreciation is expressed to Dr. J. T. Coyle for his comments on the monuscript. 0002-7138/86/2501-0120 $02.00/0 © 1986 by the American Academy of Child Psychiatry.
PY - 1986
Y1 - 1986
N2 - Effects of prednisone (60 mg/m2) on behavior, mood, and sleep were investigated in 16 outpatient pediatric oncology patients in remission and on a maintenance drug treatment protocol calling for intermittent oral pulses of prednisone. Rating scales for sleep disturbance, depression, and an inventory of common symptons associated with corticosteroids were used to study patients as their own controls during alternating phases of maintenance drug alone and maintenance drug plus prednisone. There were statistically significant differences in number of symptoms on and off prednisone including (p < 0.001) and excluding (p < 0.01) physical symptoms. All children had increases in appetite and 63% reported changes in facial appearance. Increased irritability, argumentativeness, tiredness, “talks too much” and cries for no reason were common complaints. There was a trend toward more symptoms in younger children. Night wakening was increased while on prednisone (p < 0.05) and activity and energy levels were decreased (p < 0.02). Further studies of behavioral toxicity in children receiving prednisone (60 mg/m2) on oncology protocols is recommended.
AB - Effects of prednisone (60 mg/m2) on behavior, mood, and sleep were investigated in 16 outpatient pediatric oncology patients in remission and on a maintenance drug treatment protocol calling for intermittent oral pulses of prednisone. Rating scales for sleep disturbance, depression, and an inventory of common symptons associated with corticosteroids were used to study patients as their own controls during alternating phases of maintenance drug alone and maintenance drug plus prednisone. There were statistically significant differences in number of symptoms on and off prednisone including (p < 0.001) and excluding (p < 0.01) physical symptoms. All children had increases in appetite and 63% reported changes in facial appearance. Increased irritability, argumentativeness, tiredness, “talks too much” and cries for no reason were common complaints. There was a trend toward more symptoms in younger children. Night wakening was increased while on prednisone (p < 0.05) and activity and energy levels were decreased (p < 0.02). Further studies of behavioral toxicity in children receiving prednisone (60 mg/m2) on oncology protocols is recommended.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0022657164
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0022657164#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1016/S0002-7138(09)60608-7
DO - 10.1016/S0002-7138(09)60608-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 3456385
AN - SCOPUS:0022657164
SN - 0002-7138
VL - 25
SP - 120
EP - 124
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry
IS - 1
ER -