title: Effect of general symptom level, specific adverse events, treatment patterns, and patient characteristics on health-related quality of life in patients with multiple myeloma: results of a European, multicenter cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Novel multiple myeloma (MM) therapies have increased patient longevity but are often associated with notable symptom burden. This study quantified the effect of general symptom level, specific symptoms, and treatment-related adverse events (AEs) on MM patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) generic cancer questionnaire (Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30) and MM-specific questionnaire (QLQ-MY20) were used in this study to assess patients' HRQoL. Data were collected on sociodemographics, disease and treatment history, and the presence/severity of MM-related symptoms or treatment-related AEs from patients with MM in UK and German centers. Multiple regression analyses were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 154 patients (63 % male; mean age, 66.4 years; mean time since diagnosis, 3.7 years; 52 % currently on treatment; and 43 % with ≥ 1 prior MM therapy), 25, 32, 31, and 11 % were severely symptomatic, moderately symptomatic, mildly symptomatic, and asymptomatic, respectively. Fatigue (59 %), bone pain (51 %), sleepiness (36 %), hypoesthesia or paresthesia (33 %), and muscle cramps (31 %) were most commonly reported. Moderate and severe general symptom levels, bone symptoms, depression, and mental status changes were identified as strong determinants of HRQoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severity, type of disease symptoms, and treatment related AEs are important HRQoL determinants in patients with MM, allowing for targeted treatment.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Proskorovsky
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ishak
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Noreen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lordan
authors.forename: Charalampia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kyriakou
authors.forename: Cathy D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Faith E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom