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Many children treated for ALL develop long-term neurocognitive impairments. Increased risk of these impairments is associated with treatment and demographic factors. Exposure to anesthesia is an additional possible risk factor. This study evaluated the impact of cumulative exposure to anesthesia on neurocognitive outcomes among a multicenter cohort of children with ALL.

This study was embedded in AALL1131, a Children's Oncology Group phase III trial for patients with high-risk B-ALL. In consenting patients age 6-12 years, prospective uniform assessments of neurocognitive function were performed during and at 1 year after completion of therapy. Exposure to all episodes of anesthetic agents was abstracted. Multivariable linear regression models determined associations of cumulative anesthetic agents with the primary neurocognitive outcome reaction time/processing speed (age …