Predictors of health-related quality of life in patients treated with auto- and allo-SCT for hematological malignancies. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2012;47:757-769. [PMID: 21725373 DOI: 10.1038/bmt.2011.130]

Quality of life and mood of patients and family caregivers during hospitalization for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND

We conducted a study to investigate the impact of hospitalization for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) on the quality of life (QOL) and mood of patients and family caregivers (FC).

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal study of patients who were hospitalized for HCT and their FC. We assessed QOL (using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplantation) and mood (using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) at baseline (6 days before HCT), day +1, and day +8 of HCT. We administered the Medical Outcomes Study Health Survey Short Form-36 to examine FC QOL (Physical Component Scale and Mental Component Scale). To identify predictors of changes in QOL, we used multivariable linear mixed models.

RESULTS

We enrolled 97% of eligible patients undergoing autologous (30 patients), myeloablative (30 patients), or reduced intensity (30 patients) allogeneic HCT. Patients' QOL markedly declined (mean Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplantation score, 109.6 to 96.0; P<.0001) throughout hospitalization. The percentage of patients with depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression score of >7) more than doubled from baseline to day +8 (15.6% to 37.8%; P<.0001), whereas the percentage of patients with anxiety remained stable (22.2%; P = .8). These results remained consistent when data were stratified by HCT type. Baseline depression (β, -2.24; F, 42.2 [P<.0001]) and anxiety (β, -0.63; F, 4.4 [P =.03]) were found to independently predict worse QOL throughout hospitalization. FC QOL declined during the patient's hospitalization (physical component scale: 83.1 to 79.6 [P =.03] and mental component scale: 71.6 to 67.4 [P =.04]).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing HCT reported a steep deterioration in QOL and substantially worsening depression during hospitalization. Baseline anxiety and depression predicted worse QOL during hospitalization, underscoring the importance of assessing pre-HCT psychiatric morbidity.

General health, symptom occurrence, and self-efficacy in adult survivors after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a cross-sectional comparison between hospital care and home care

PURPOSE

Earlier studies have shown that home care during the neutropenic phase after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is medically safe, with positive outcomes. However, there have been few results on long-term outcomes after home care. The aims of this study were to compare general health, symptom occurrence, and self-efficacy in adult survivors who received either home care or hospital care during the early neutropenic phase after allo-HSCT and to investigate whether demographic or medical variables were associated with general health or symptom occurrence in this patient population.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional survey, 117 patients (hospital care: n = 78; home care: n = 39) rated their general health (SF-36), symptom occurrence (SFID-SCT, HADS), and self-efficacy (GSE) at a median of 5 (1-11) years post-HSCT.

RESULTS

No differences were found regarding general health, symptom occurrence, or self-efficacy between groups. The majority of patients in both hospital care (77 %) and home care (78 %) rated their general health as "good" with a median of 14 (0-36) current symptoms. Symptoms of fatigue and sexual problems were among the most common. Poor general health was associated with acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), low self-efficacy, and cord blood stem cells. A high symptom occurrence was associated with female gender, acute GVHD, and low self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

No long-term differences in general health and symptom occurrence were observed between home care and hospital care. Thus, home care is an alternative treatment method for patients who for various reasons prefer this treatment option. We therefore encourage other centers to offer home care to patients.

Relationships among symptoms, psychosocial factors, and health-related quality of life in hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors

PURPOSE

The study aims to evaluate the mediating effect of depressive symptoms on the relationship between physical symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors and to test a conceptual model of psychosocial factors, in addition to physical and psychological symptoms, that might contribute to HRQOL.

METHODS

This is a secondary data analysis using HSCT survivors (N = 662) identified from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. Data were collected through mail and phone surveys and medical records. We used structural equation modeling to test the mediating role of depressive symptoms on the relationship of physical symptoms with HRQOL. We also tested comprehensive pathways from physical symptoms to HRQOL by adding psychosocial factors (optimism, coping, and social constraints).

RESULTS

In the depressive symptom mediation analyses, physical symptoms had a stronger direct effect on physical HRQOL (b = -0.98, p < 0.001) than depressive symptoms (b = 0.23, p > 0.05). Depressive symptoms were associated with mental HRQOL and mediated the relationship between physical symptoms and mental HRQOL. In comprehensive pathways, physical symptoms remained the most significant factor associated with physical HRQOL. In contrast, depressive symptoms had direct effects (b = -0.76, p < 0.001) on mental HRQOL and were a significant mediator. Psychosocial factors were directly associated with mental HRQOL and indirectly associated with mental HRQOL through depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Physical symptoms are most strongly associated with physical HRQOL, while depressive symptoms and psychosocial factors impact mental HRQOL more than physical HRQOL. Interventions addressing psychosocial factors as well as symptoms may improve the HRQOL of HSCT survivors.

Symptoms after hospital discharge following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Aims:

The purposes of this study were to assess the symptoms of hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients after hospital discharge, and to determine the needs of transplant patients for symptom management.

Materials and Methods:

The study adopted a descriptive design. The study sample comprised of 66 hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. The study was conducted in Istanbul. Data were collected using Patient Information Form and Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS).

Results:

The frequency of psychological symptoms in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients after discharge period (PSYCH subscale score 2.11 (standard deviation (SD) = 0.69, range: 0.93-3.80)) was higher in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients than frequency of physical symptoms (PHYS subscale score: 1.59 (SD = 0.49, range: 1.00-3.38)). Symptom distress caused by psychological and physical symptoms were at moderate level (mean = 1.91, SD = 0.60, range: 0.95-3.63) and most distressing symptoms were problems with sexual interest or activity, difficulty sleeping, and diarrhea. Patients who did not have an additional chronic disease obtained higher MSAS scores. University graduates obtained higher Global Distress Index (GDI) subscale and total MSAS scores with comparison to primary school graduates. Total MSAS, MSAS-PHYS subscale, and MSAS-PSYCH subscale scores were higher in patients with low level of income (P < 0.05). The patients (98.5%) reported to receive education about symptom management after hospital discharge.

Conclusions:

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients continue to experience many distressing physical or psychological symptoms after discharge and need to be supported and educated for the symptom management.

Long-term health related quality of life following intensive care during treatment for haematological malignancies

Objective

Long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was determined for patients admitted to the haematology ward who needed intensive care treatment (H-IC+) and compared with those who did not (H-IC−) as well as with that for patients admitted to the general ICU (nH-IC+).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out median 18 months after admission by employing the short form-36, checklist for individual strength, cognitive failure questionnaire and hospital anxiety and depression scale.

Results

27 (79%) of the 34 H-IC+ patients approached, and 93 (85%) of the 109 H-IC− patients approached replied. Data were adjusted for relevant covariates and matched with those of 149 patients in the general ICU. Apart from the lower role-physical functioning score for H-IC+ (P = 0.04) no other differences were found between H-IC+ and H-IC−. Groups H-IC+ and nH-IC+ evaluated their HRQoL on SF-36 similarly, except for the lower aggregated physical component summary (PCS) for H-IC+ (P<0.0001). After adjusting for PCS, no significant differences in CIS, CFQ and HADS were observed between the groups.

Conclusions

Eighteen months after admission, patients treated for haematological malignancies reported similar HRQoL, whether or not they had received intensive care treatment, but reported a lower PCS than those of patients in the general ICU. Hence, there is no reason to assume that admission to the ICU has a negative impact on long-term HRQoL, so this should not affect the decision whether or not to transfer patients with haematological malignancies to the ICU.

Music therapy for patients who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplant

Objectives. This study examines the short- and long-term QOL benefits of a music therapy intervention for patients recovering from hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods. Ninety allogeneic HSCT patients, after transplant, were randomized to receive ISO-principle (i.e., mood matching) based music therapy (MT; n = 29), unstructured music (UM; n = 30), or usual care (UC; n = 31) for four weeks. The ISO principle posits that patients may shift their mood from one state to another by listening to music that is “equal to” the individual's initial mood state and subsequently listening to music selections that gradually shift in tempo and mood to match the patient's desired disposition. Participants in MT and UM groups developed two audio CDs to help them feel more relaxed and energized and were instructed to use the CDs to improve their mood as needed. Short-term effects on mood and long-term effects on QOL were examined. Results. MT and UM participants reported improved mood immediately after listening to CDs; the within-group effect was greater for UM participants compared to MT participants. Participant group was not associated with long-term QOL outcomes. Conclusions. Music listening improves mood acutely but was not associated with long-term benefits in this study.

Psychosocial factors associated with quality of life in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients prior to transplant

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of this retrospective study was to determine levels of psychological distress and quality of life (QoL) immediately prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The secondary aim was to examine the demographic, medical and psychosocial factors that were correlated with various QoL domains at this stage of treatment.

METHODS

A series of measures was completed by 122 allograft patients as part of routine psychological assessment at the treating hospital prior to undergoing the transplant. These included the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF. Demographic and medical data were also extracted.

RESULTS

In this study, 12% and 14% of the sample experienced significant levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Half of the sample reported impaired physical QoL, whereas approximately 40% reported poor psychological and social QoL. Besides relationship status, the limited number of demographic (age and gender) and medical factors (disease status) tested did not contribute significantly to reported QoL. After controlling for medical and demographic factors, weaker Fighting Spirit and higher levels of depression (trend towards significance) were associated with poorer physical and social QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

The association among psychological distress, coping responses and QoL indicates that poor psychosocial functioning pre-transplant renders an increased likelihood of experiencing impaired QoL across various dimensions. It thus seems important that psychologically vulnerable patients are identified early in the treatment process. If psychosocial adjustment were improved, patients may experience better QoL pre-transplant with a potential subsequent influence on post-transplant outcomes.

Patient education in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant: what patients wish they had known about quality of life

Quality of life (QOL) is increasingly recognized as an important clinical outcome of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), but patient education is often overlooked. The goal of the current qualitative study was to examine education regarding post-HCT QOL from the patient’s perspective. Allogeneic HCT recipients participated in one of four focus groups. Participants were asked to recall what they had been told about post-HCT QOL as they were preparing for transplant, how their QOL differed from what they expected, and how to educate future patients about post-HCT QOL. Verbatim transcripts were coded for both a priori and emergent themes using content analysis. A total of 24 patients participated (54% female, mean age 51, range 23-73). Participants frequently expressed the desire for additional education regarding post-HCT QOL, particularly late complications. They noted that late complications were often unexpected, had a profound impact on their QOL, and threatened their ongoing sense of recovery. They emphasized that the timing, content, and format of education regarding QOL should be flexible to meet their diverse needs. Findings from the current study draw attention to the importance of patient education regarding post-HCT QOL as well as additional QOL research designed with patient education in mind.