title: Frequent and long-term follow-up of health-related quality of life following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
abstract: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) was evaluated in 94 patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after myeloablative (MAC, n = 18) or reduced intensity conditioning (RIC, n = 76). HRQL was assessed with the EORTC QLQ C-30 during the inpatient period as well as during the following 3 years, i.e., at baseline and 12 times thereafter. Functional status and global quality of life decreased from baseline to weeks 2 and 3, especially role and social functions. Symptoms increased significantly during the first 3 weeks, particularly appetite loss, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea and fatigue. It took at least 1 year for HRQL to return to the baseline level. The only function that improved significantly 3 years after HSCT was role function. Patients treated with MAC experienced significantly worse HRQL at baseline than patients treated with RIC, as well as more pain, sleep disturbance and appetite loss in weeks 3 and 4. Patients with extensive chronic graft-versus-host disease experienced reduced HRQL. These results provide a clinically useful overview of patients' HRQL during and after HSCT and indicate when they require increased support. The results demonstrate the importance of close follow-ups during the first year after HSCT to improve preventive or supportive interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Frödin
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lotfi
authors.affiliation: Regional Cancer Center Southeast, County Council of Östergötland, Linköping.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fomichov
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Coagulation and Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Juliusson
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Börjeson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease; D006304:Health Status; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019653:Myeloablative Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012380:Role; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D019653:Myeloablative Agonists
keywords: quality of life; stem cell transplantation; symptom