Psychological and physical variables to predict quality of life in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: cross-sectional research

The aim of this study was to identify psychological and physical correlates of Quality of Life (QOL) in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). A total of 146 adult patients participated, of which 67.12% receiving an autologous HSCT and 32.87% an allogeneic HSCT. The sample included 63.01% male patients with a mean age of 40.24 years (s.d.=14.03). This was a cross-sectional design in which QoL was assessed using the Functionality Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT). Independent variables included physical symptoms, emotional distress, coping, and problem-solving style. Multiple regression analyses were performed for each QoL sub-scale with variables that showed correlation. The analysis showed the global QoL mean was 83.33 (s.d.=13.47) on a scale from 0 to 108. Descriptive analyses of the QoL subscales showed greater negative impact on functional well-being. In contrast, physical well-being was the least affected subscale. Of the eight regression models (one for each QoL sub-scale) between 24.4% and 71.6% of the total variance was explained. Models included eight independent variables, the most strongly associated were fatigue, depression, and anxious preoccupation. In conclusion we identified medical and psychological correlates of patients’ QoL. While this design cannot establish causal relations, establishing these correlates is relevant for clinical practice to identify patients with higher risk for compromised QoL and to guide the development of clinical interventions to promote protective QoL factors.