title: Quality of life immediately after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.
abstract: This prospective, longitudinal study investigated the quality of life among patients immediately after undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The patients were assessed before transplantation (n = 16), immediately before hospital discharge (n = 10), 2 weeks after hospital discharge (n = 10), and 6 weeks after hospital discharge (n = 8). Patients completed the European Organization for Research and Training Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 and the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index at each assessment point. A brief telephone interview was conducted 6 weeks after hospitalization (n = 7). The study results indicate that patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation experience significant appetite loss (P <.01), diarrhea (P <.05), nausea and vomiting (P <.05), and sleep disturbances (P <.01) during the acute posttransplantation period. Other clinically important changes also were identified, so that a general pattern of recovery emerged. These patients reported diminished functional ability, increased symptoms, and poorer quality of life immediately before hospital discharge, with a return to pretransplantation levels by 6 weeks after hospitalization. In contrast, life satisfaction continued to decline 2 weeks after hospitalization, but did improve by 6 weeks. The qualitative data provide further support for this trend.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Department of Medical-Nurgical Nursing (M/C 802), University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 South Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL 60612-7350, USA. ehacker@uic.edu
authors.forename: Eileen Danaher
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.forename: Carol Estwing
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ferrans
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D036102:Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000209:etiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology