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Psychosocial Study

Pre-transplantation physical and mental functioning is strongly associated with self-reported recovery from stem cell transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 37, pages 889–895 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Previous studies of quality of life (QOL) note compromised QOL after stem cell transplantation (HCT), but do not usually consider the impact of pre-transplantation deficits in QOL on post transplantation outcomes. To examine these associations, multivariate models for six self-reported QOL outcomes at 6 and 12 months were constructed, considering pre-transplantation clinical status and QOL, and subsequent clinical events. Outcomes measured overall subjective health, social functioning and agreement with statements such as ‘Life has returned to normal.’ Of 320 autologous and allogeneic HCT recipients who completed pre-transplantation surveys, 197 completed 6-month surveys and 175 completed 12-month surveys. Pre-transplantation overall health and mental health were independent predictors of all QOL outcomes at 6 months. Baseline physical health was also predictive of four of six outcomes at 12 months. In contrast, disease risk was predictive only of enjoying normal activities at 6 months. Relapse and chronic graft-versus-host disease were associated with poorer QOL. In conclusion, pre-transplantation self-reported physical and mental health are more strongly associated with QOL after HCT than commonly noted baseline clinical predictors such as age and disease risk. Measurement of baseline QOL can help place the effects of the transplantation procedure in context.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all of the patients who participated in this study, as well as the physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers who cared for them. This research was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant No. CA75267 and the Brigham and Women's Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    D J Andorsky

  2. Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA

    F R Loberiza Jr

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    S J Lee

Authors
  1. D J Andorsky
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  2. F R Loberiza Jr
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  3. S J Lee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S J Lee.

Additional information

Preliminary results of this study were presented in a poster session at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting on December 6, 2004, in San Diego, CA, USA.

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Andorsky, D., Loberiza, F. & Lee, S. Pre-transplantation physical and mental functioning is strongly associated with self-reported recovery from stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 37, 889–895 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1705347

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