Psychiatric assessment of candidates for bone marrow transplantation: a psychodynamically-oriented approach.
OBJECTIVE
To seek possible relationships between psychological factors and survival after an intensive medical therapy, using bone marrow transplantation as a model.


METHODS
Candidates for bone marrow transplantation underwent two to three psychodynamically-oriented psychiatric interviews that explored family functioning ("F"), individual psychological maturity ("I"), and the capacity to form and communicate a mature psychological construct of the transplant ("T") process. The results were recorded in a semiquantitative manner, assigning a possible score of 1 to 3 for each parameter, for a possible total of 3 to 9 (the "F.I.T." assessment). Survival after the transplant was analyzed retrospectively in relation to the F.I.T. assessment.


RESULTS
In a series of 112 candidates interviewed prior to transplant, those with the lowest F.I.T. assessment tended not to survive as long. By one year, 95 percent of individuals assigned the lowest score (F.I.T. = 3) had died, whereas 96 percent of those assigned the highest scores (F.I.T. = 7-9) remained alive. The strongest predictors were the "I" and "T" parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
This approach to assessment of candidates for bone marrow transplantation may identify individuals who require added, supportive measures, both medical and psychological. Furthermore, the results suggest possible leads in the search for how psychological factors might influence the physiologic response to a toxic stress.
Hoffman
L H
LH
McGill University.
Szkrumelak
N
N
Sullivan
A K
AK
D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D015588:Observer Variation; D018579:Patient Selection; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors