Pre-transplant, patient-reported physical health on a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scale was strongly prognostic for allogeneic transplant survival, according to a study of 310 patients enrolled in a multi-center trial conducted by the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN). The study enrolled 310 allogeneic transplant patients who completed the SF-36 survey, a multi-purpose, short-form health questionnaire that yields an 8-scale profile of functional health and well-being scores. Patients completed the SF-36 pre-transplant and at day 100 post-transplant. At a median follow up of 23 months, the pre-HCT physical component score (PCS) was strongly prognostic for survival (HR for death of 0.72 per 10 points increase, 95% CI 0.60-0.85, p<0.001). The mental health component (MCS on the SF-36) was not predictive of survival (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.84-1.16, p=0.29). Higher pre-HCT PCS was predictive of lower transplant-related mortality: HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.17-0.47; (p<0.001). Based on these results, the researchers recommend that high-risk individuals as determined by physical HRQOL scores “be targeted for different management strategies or more aggressive supportive care interventions to reduce treatment-related morbidity and mortality in this population.”
Pre-Transplant, Patient-Reported Quality of Life is Prognostic for Transplant Outcomes
Dec 2014