title: Physical activity for patients undergoing an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: benefits of a moderate exercise intervention.
abstract: An allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can have profound and lasting adverse effects on a patient's physical and psychological well-being. So far, only few studies have investigated the effectiveness of physical activity over the entire inpatient phase of an allogeneic HSCT.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We performed a randomized controlled study to examine the influence of a controlled moderate exercise program starting parallel to chemotherapeutic conditioning and total body irradiation on the patient's physical and psychological constitution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven patients undergoing an allogeneic HSCT were randomly assigned to an exercise group (EG) or a control group (CG). While the EG took part in an endurance and activity of daily living-training twice a day, the CG received the clinic's standard physiotherapy program once a day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences and/or trends in favor of the EG were observed regarding the primary endpoint endurance performance (P=0.002), muscular strength (P=0.022), fatigue (P=0.046), and emotional state (P=0.028) without posing an additional risk for the individual.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that the training program is feasible and seems to have positive influences on physical performance and quality of life in patients undergoing an allogeneic HSCT. However, further studies are necessary to confirm these results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Sport Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sport Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany. f.baumann@dshs-koeln.de
authors.forename: Freerk T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Eva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Zopf
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nykamp
authors.forename: Ludwig
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kraut
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schüle
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elter
authors.forename: Axel A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fauser
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bloch
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000075202:Contraindications; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010807:Physical Endurance; D011788:Quality of Life; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation