Assessment of Some Risk Factors of Leukemia in Children Attending Baghdad Hospitals

Abstract

Abstract:Background: The term leukemia refers to cancers of the white blood cells (also called leukocytes or WBCs). When a child has leukemia, large number of abnormal white blood cells is produced in the bone marrow. These abnormal white cells crowd the bone marrow and flood the bloodstream, but they cannot perform their proper role of protecting the body against disease because they are defective.Objective: The aim of the present study is to assess the possible risk factors of leukemia in children less than 15 years of age in Baghdad hospitals.Methods: This study was a hospital-based case-control study (AL-Kadhmiya teaching hospital, Children welfare teaching hospital and Central teaching hospital of pediatric) by collecting the data by a direct interview with patient parents and medical records during the period from 3rd November 2011 to the 7th May 2012, a total of 612 children were studied, 204 children (cases) less than 15 years of age with hematological and histological confirmed diagnosis of leukemia compared with 408 children (controls) who were free from cancer at the time of the study on clinical basis. Cases and controls were matched for age, gender and place of residence at level of administrative units.Results: The results showed significant association between leukemia and probable exposure to history of malignancy in third degree relative and pesticides while no significant association between leukemia and oil refineries and high power voltage lines.Conclusions: In the current study, males were more affected than females. Based on exposure to chemicals, only the percentage of exposed cases to the pesticides was greater than the percentage of controls. Based on electromagnetic field exposure, only the percentage of exposed cases to the high power voltage lines was greater than the percentage of controls.Key Words: Leukemia, Risk factors, Baghdad hospitals