L-Asparaginase-Induced Hyperlipidemia and Fatty Liver in a Case of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract

A 7-year-old girl was admitted to our department under the diagnosis of ALL. She was treated with a induction chemotherapy including prednisolone, vincristine, THP-adriamycin and L-asparaginase. In the course of the chemotherapy, a remarkable hyperlipidemia and liver dysfunction developed. While she was given reinforcement chemotherapy including L-asparaginase, she showed remarkable hyperlipidemia and liver dysfunction with fatty liver again. The levels of serum triglycerides, GOT and GPT increased to 727 mg/dl, 123 IU and 172 IU, respectively. These clinical findings strongly suggested that L-asparaginase could induce the type IV hyperlipidemia of Friedrickson classification and fatty liver. After discontinuation of L-asparaginase and treated with only supportive treatment, these laboratory data returned to normal.