Pilot study shows suppression of mineralocorticoid precursors under high-dose glucocorticoid therapy in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Glucocorticoids represent a key element in the treatment of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lead to adrenal suppression. We aimed to assess the differential response profile of adrenal steroids in children with ALL during BFM (Berlin–Frankfurt–Münster) induction treatment. Therefore, we performed liquid chromatography tandem–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)-based steroid profiling of up to seven consecutive leftover morning serum samples derived from 11 patients (pts) with ALL before (day 0) and during induction therapy at days 1–5, 6–12, 13–26, 27–29, 30–35 and 36–40. 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), 11-deoxycortisol (11S), cortisol, 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC), corticosterone and aldosterone were determined in parallel. Subsequently, steroid concentrations were normalized by multiples of median (MOM) to adequately consider pediatric age- and sex-specific reference ranges. MOM-cortisol and its precursors MOM–11S and MOM–17OHP were significantly suppressed by glucocorticoid treatment until day 29 (P < 8.06 × 10(−10), P < 5.102 × 10(−5), P < 0.0076, respectively). Cortisol recovered in one of four pts at days 27–29 and in two of five pts at days 36–40. Among the mineralocorticoids, corticosterone was significantly suppressed (P < 3.115 × 10(−6)). Aldosterone and DOC showed no significant changes when comparing day 0 to the treatment time points. However, two ALL patients with ICU treatment due to the sepsis showed significantly lower MOM–DOC (P = 0.006436) during that time and almost always the lowest aldosterone compared to all other time points. Suppression of mineralocorticoid precursors under high-dose glucocorticoid therapy suggests a functional cross talk of central glucocorticoid regulation and adrenal mineralocorticoid synthesis. Our data should stimulate prospective investigation to assess potential clinical relevance.