title: Health related quality of life among patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), the commonest long-term complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), has a negative impact on patients' health related quality of life (HRQoL). This study was designed to investigate the HRQoL in patients with chronic GVHD in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and sixty-four patients with chronic GVHD who were ≥ 24 months post-HSCT and had been in continuous complete remission since HSCT were enrolled in this retrospective study. HRQoL was evaluated using an SF-36 questionnaire. Multivariate analysis was used to identify the factors that affect HRQoL in patients with chronic GVHD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HRQoL in patients categorized as having mild and moderate chronic GVHD was significantly better than in those in the severe category. In the moderate chronic GVHD category, markedly poorer HRQoL was observed in patients with both multiple organ involvement and more severe organ impairment than in those without these factors. According to multivariate analysis, chronic GVHD severity had the greatest significant negative impact on patients' HRQoL; whereas being female was associated with a negative impact on psychological health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic GVHD severity strongly correlates with negative impacts on patients' HRQoL.
authors: Beijing Key laboratory of Hematopoitic Stem Cell Transplantation, Beijing, China.
authors: Xiao-dong
authors: XD
authors: Mo
authors: Lan-ping
authors: LP
authors: Xu
authors: Dai-hong
authors: DH
authors: Liu
authors: Yu-hong
authors: YH
authors: Chen
authors: Xiao-hui
authors: XH
authors: Zhang
authors: Huan
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Han
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Feng-rong
authors: FR
authors: Wang
authors: Jing-zhi
authors: JZ
authors: Wang
authors: Kai-yan
authors: KY
authors: Liu
authors: Xiao-jun
authors: XJ
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index