title: Physical activity and health-related quality of life in pediatric cancer patients following a 4-week inpatient rehabilitation program.
abstract: Chronic health conditions and impaired quality of life are commonly experienced in childhood cancer survivors. While rehabilitation clinics support patients in coping with the disease, studies evaluating an inpatient rehabilitation program on promoting physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are missing.
  
  
  
  A 4-week inpatient rehabilitation program was prospectively evaluated. One hundred fifty patients with leukemia or lymphoma (N = 86), brain tumors (N = 38), and sarcomas (N = 26) were enrolled on average 17 months after cessation of acute medical treatment. PA amount and cadence (indicating the intensity of walking activity) using the StepWatch™ 3 Activity Monitor and HRQoL global and physical well-being scores using the KINDL(®) questionnaire were assessed before, immediately after, and 6 and 12 months following the program and analyzed using multiple linear mixed models.
  
  
  
  Significant effects on PA were only found at 12-month follow-up for amount and cadence variables (all p < 0.05). While leukemia and lymphoma patients revealed the highest PA level throughout the study, rehabilitation effects were more pronounced for cadence variables in brain tumor and sarcoma patients. The rehabilitation program had immediate (t = 4.56, p < 0.001) and sustainable effects on HRQoL global scores (6-month follow-up, t = 4.08, p < 0.001; 12-month follow-up, t = 3.13, p < 0.006).
  
  
  
  Immediate and sustainable increases in HRQoL indicate that a 4-week rehabilitation program is beneficial for improving psychosocial well-being, while the significant increase in PA levels could be related to general recovery as well. The lack of a control group hampers the evaluation of the rehabilitation program on promoting PA levels in pediatric cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sports Science, Work Unit Human Performance and Training in Sports, University of Münster, Horstmarer Landweg 62b, 48149, Münster, Germany. c.mueller@uni-muenster.de.|Institute of Experimental Musculoskeletal Medicine, Movement Analysis Laboratory, University Hospital Münster, Domagkstr. 3, 48149, Münster, Germany. c.mueller@uni-muenster.de.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Klinik Bad Oexen, Kinderhaus, Oexen 27, 32549, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.
authors.forename: Konstantin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Krauth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University of Münster, Schmeddingstr. 56, 48149, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerß
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Musculoskeletal Medicine, Movement Analysis Laboratory, University Hospital Münster, Domagkstr. 3, 48149, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Childhood cancer; Pediatric oncology; Physical activity; Physical therapy; Quality of life; Rehabilitation