title: Safety and feasibility of physical therapy in cytopenic patients during allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of physical therapy in cytopenic patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), and to investigate the effect of physical therapy on physiological functions and quality of life (QOL) in allo-HSCT patients. The study cohort included 321 patients who underwent allo-HSCT. To investigate the safety and feasibility of physical therapy during cytopenia, patients were assigned to the physical therapy group (n = 227) or the control group (n = 94). To determine the effects of physical therapy, patients were divided according to the frequency with which they underwent physical therapy (n = 51 per group). Handgrip strength, knee extensor strength and a 6-min walk test were used as measures of physiological function. Short-Form 36 was used to assess QOL. The physical therapy group had higher rate of achieving engraftment and lower death rate than the control group (P < 0.05). After HSCT, the high-frequency physical therapy group showed significantly less decline than the low-frequency physical therapy group with respect to physical functioning of QOL (P < 0.01). Physical therapy is quite beneficial and can be performed safely and feasibly in cytopenic patients during allo-HSCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Hyogo College of Medicine Hospital, Nishinomiya, Japan. ptmorishin@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Setogawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kajihara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikegame
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Domen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000209:etiology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011788:Quality of Life; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous