Participants
We screened 50 allo- and 16 auto-HSCT survivors (Fig. 1). Among them, 14 allo- and 3 auto-HSCT survivors dropped out of the study, with the reasons for dropping out being noted. Finally, we included and compared 36 allo- and 13 auto-HSCT patients. Table 1 shows the sample demographic and clinical characteristics. For allo- and auto-HSCT survivors, the mean ages were 49.4 and 54.8 years, respectively; moreover, 41.7% and 61.5% of the participants were men, respectively. The hematological diagnoses included acute leukemia (55.5%), myelodysplastic syndrome (25.0%), malignant lymphoma (5.6%), chronic myelogenous leukemia (2.8%), myelofibrosis (2.8%), Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (2.8%), aplastic anemia (2.8%), and myeloid sarcoma (2.8%). Among auto-HSCT survivors, there were seven and six patients had multiple myeloma and malignant lymphoma, respectively. In allo- and auto-HSCT survivors, the mean time elapsed after HSCT was 49.5 (4.1 years) and 43.0 (3.6 years) months, respectively. The proportion of comorbidities, including late complications, was 41.7% and 38.5% in allo- and auto-HSCT survivors, respectively. Moreover, 15 (41.7%) and 8 (22.2%) patients had a history of and current chronic GVHD, respectively. There were no significant between-group differences in demographic and clinical characteristics.
Table 1
Demographic and clinical characteristics of auto- and allo-HSCT survivors
| allo-HSCT (n = 36) | auto-HSCT (n = 13) | p |
| Mean (SD) | |
Age, years | 49.4 (12.8) | 54.8 (11.5) | 0.197 |
Female/male, n (%) | 21 (58.7%) / 15 (41.7%) | 5 (38.5%) / 8 (61.5%) | 0.218 |
Height, cm | 161.4 (7.3) | 163.0 (9.4) | 0.532 |
Body weight, kg | 56.1 (10.3) | 63.2 (15.2) | 0.054 |
Body mass index, kg/m2 | 21.6 (3.8) | 23.4 (3.9) | 0.077 |
| Median (range) | |
Time elapsed from HSCT | 49.5 (8–199) | 43 (1–121) | 0.150 |
| n (%) | |
Diagnosis | |
Acute leukemia | 20 (55.5%) | 0 | |
Myelodysplastic syndrome | 9 (25.0%) | 0 | |
Multiple myeloma | 0 | 7 (53.8%) | |
Malignant lymphoma | 2 (5.6%) | 6 (46.2%) | |
Chronic myelogenous leukemia | 1(2.8%) | 0 | |
Myelofibrosis | 1(2.8%) | 0 | |
EBV-AHS | 1(2.8%) | 0 | |
Aplastic anemia | 1(2.8%) | 0 | |
Myeloid sarcoma | 1(2.8%) | 0 | |
Comorbidity, n (%) | | | 0.84 |
None | 21 (58.3%) | 8 (61.5%) | |
Yes | 15 (41.7%) | 5 (38.5%) | |
Employment status, n (%) | | | 0.840 |
Not working | 15 (41.7%) | 5 (38.5%) | |
Employed | 21 (58.3%) | 8 (61.5%) | |
Marital status, n (%) | | | 0.297 |
Not married | 12 (33.3%) | 2 (15.4%) | |
Married | 24 (66.7%) | 11 (84.6%) | |
Education, n (%) | | | 1.00 |
Junior high school | 2 (5.6%) | 1 (7.7%) | |
High school | 15 (41.7%) | 5 (38.5%) | |
Technical school | 7 (19.4%) | 3 (23.1%) | |
Junior college | 4 (11.1%) | 1 (7.7%) | |
University/college | 8 (22.2%) | 3 (23.1%) | |
Smoking status, n (%) | | | 0.716 |
Non-smoking | 33 (91.7%) | 12 (92.3%) | |
Current | 3 (8.3%) | 1 (7.7%) | |
Stem cell source, n (%) | | | |
Bone marrow | 23 (63.9%) | NA | |
Cord blood | 9 (25.0%) | NA | |
Peripheral blood stem cell | 4 (11.1%) | 13 (100%) | |
Donor type, n (%) | | NA | |
HLA-mismatched/unrelated | 13 (36.1%) | | |
HLA-matched/related | 11 (30.6%) | | |
HLA-matched/unrelated | 10 (27.8%) | | |
HLA-mismatched/related | 1 (2.8%) | | |
Conditioning, n (%) | | NA | |
Myeloablative | 28 (77.8%) | | |
Reduced intensity | 7 (19.4%) | | |
Unknown | 1 (2.8%) | | |
Steroid dose at survey, (n %) | | NA | |
Yes | 8 (22.2%) | | |
No | 28 (77.8%) | | |
History of aGVHD, n (%) | | NA | |
Yes | 26 (72.2%) | | |
No | 10 (27.8%) | | |
cGVHD at survey, n (%) | | NA | |
Yes | 8 (22.2%) | | |
No | 28 (77.8%) | | |
History of cGVHD, n (%) | | | |
Yes | 15 (41.7%) | | |
No | 21 (58.3%) | | |
HSCT, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; SD, standard deviation; EBV-AHS, Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome; NA, not applicable; HLA, human leukocyte antigen; GVHD, graft versus host disease |
Between-group comparisons of MVPA, sedentary behavior, physical function, psychological health, and QOL
Table 2 shows the between-group comparison of MVPA, sedentary behavior, physical function, psychological health, and QOL. There were no significant between-group differences in MVPA and sedentary behavior (p = 0.768 and 0.739, respectively). The mean duration of accelerometer wear time in allo- and auto-HSCT survivors was 903.2 and 870.8 min/day, respectively. Allo-HSCT survivors had 539.1 min of sedentary behavior per day (9.0 h; standard deviation [SD] = 106.9 min) and performed 40.4 min of MVPA per day (SD = 32.8 min). Contrastingly, auto-HSCT survivors had 526.7 min of sedentary behavior per day (8.8 h; SD = 123.0 min) and performed 34.9 min of MVPA per day. There was a significant between-group difference in dyspnea, which is the symptom scale of the EORTC QLQ C-30 (p = 0.011). There were no significant between-group differences in the other measurements.
Table 2
Between-group comparison of MVPA, sedentary behavior, physical function, psychological health, and QOL
| Allo-HSCT | Auto-HSCT | |
Variables | Mean (SD) | p |
Accelerometer wear time, minutes/day | 903.2 ± 79.5 | 870.8 ± 97.7 | 0.254 |
MVPA, minutes/day | 40.4 (32.8) | 34.9 (26.5) | 0.768 |
Sedentary behavior, minutes/day | 539.1 (106.9) | 526.7 (123.0) | 0.739 |
Handgrip, kg | 29.7 (9.5) | 33.0 (8.9) | 0.262 |
Knee extension force, kgf/kgw | 0.53 (0.16) | 0.58 (0.18) | 0.460 |
6MWT, m | 481.7 (60.7) | 457.9 (73.4) | 0.270 |
HADS | | | |
Anxiety | 3.2 (2.9) | 3.9 (3.6) | 0.521 |
Depression | 4.3 (3.0) | 5 (2.2) | 0.264 |
EORTC QLQ C-30 | | | |
Global health status | 78.9 (15.7) | 69.1 (20.3) | 0.208 |
Physical function | 87.8 (14.5) | 86.2 (12.5) | 0.473 |
Role function | 88.5 (22.4) | 88.5 (17.7) | 0.798 |
Emotional function | 90.6 (13.1) | 90.6 (11.4) | 0.718 |
Cognitive function | 82.9 (19.7) | 85.8 (8.9) | 0.838 |
Social function | 87.2 (24.1) | 89.7 (19.2) | 0.977 |
Fatigue | 27.7 (19.7) | 27.8 (21.3) | 0.898 |
Nausea/vomiting | 2.8 (7.4) | 0 | 0.161 |
Pain | 15.3 (20.1) | 16.6 (27.7) | 0.738 |
Dyspnea | 7.4 (19.4) | 20.4 (20.8) | 0.011* |
Insomnia | 14.7 (21.3) | 10.2 (15.2) | 0.571 |
Appetite loss | 12.0 (19.5) | 12.8 ± 20.8 | 0.955 |
Constipation | 10.1 (17.2) | 23 ± 30.3 | 0.164 |
Diarrhea | 13.8 (21.2) | 10.2 ± 15.2 | 0.692 |
Financial difficulties | 19.4 (31.8) | 12.7 ± 16.1 | 0.936 |
MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; 6 MWT, six minutes walking test; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; EORTC QLQ C-30, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 |
*p < 0.05 |
Table 3
Associations of MVAP and sedentary behavior with demographic and clinical characteristics, physical function, psychological health, and QOL in allo-HSCT survivors.
| MVPA | sedentary behavior |
Variables | correlation coefficient (r) | p | correlation coefficient (r) | p |
Age | -0.194 | 0.099 | 0.400 | 0.016* |
Height | -0.110 | 0.353 | 0.268 | 0.114 |
Body weight | -0.018 | 0.881 | 0.231 | 0.175 |
BMI | 0.035 | 0.764 | 0.212 | 0.214 |
Highest education level | -0.047 | 0.733 | 0.084 | 0.626 |
Comorbidity | -0.051 | 0.707 | 0.211 | 0.217 |
Time elapsed from HSCT | 0.166 | 0.156 | -0.160 | 0.352 |
Handgrip | 0.025 | 0.827 | 0.205 | 0.230 |
Knee extension force | 0.035 | 0.764 | 0.269 | 0.112 |
6MWT | 0.013 | 0.913 | -0.16 | 0.927 |
HADS (anxiety) | 0.084 | 0.490 | -0.408 | 0.014* |
HADS (depression) | -0.358 | 0.032* | 0.071 | 0.680 |
EORTC QLQ-C30 | | | | |
Global health status | 0.053 | 0.667 | 0.075 | 0.665 |
Physical function | 0.079 | 0.529 | 0.055 | 0.749 |
Role function | 0.042 | 0.755 | -0.171 | 0.319 |
Emotional function | -0.057 | 0.661 | 0.356 | 0.033 |
Cognitive function | 0.079 | 0.544 | 0.110 | 0.521 |
Social function | -0.021 | 0.876 | -0.106 | 0.539 |
Fatigue | -0.062 | 0.621 | -0.301 | 0.075 |
Nausea/vomiting | 0.022 | 0.873 | -0.173 | 0.314 |
Pain | -0.066 | 0.615 | 0.018 | 0.919 |
Dyspnea | 0.059 | 0.672 | 0.278 | 0.100 |
Insomnia | 0.040 | 0.772 | -0.277 | 0.102 |
Appetite loss | -0.226 | 0.099 | 0.327 | 0.052 |
Constipation | -0.112 | 0.419 | 0.025 | 0.886 |
Diarrhea | -0.177 | 0.202 | 0.165 | 0.355 |
Financial difficulties | -0.037 | 0.781 | 0.148 | 0.388 |
MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity; BMI, body mass index; HSCT, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; 6 MWT, six minutes walking test; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; EORTC QLQ C-30, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 |
*p < 0.05 |
Associations of MVAP and sedentary behavior with demographic and clinical characteristics, physical function, psychological health, and QOL among auto- and allo-HSCT survivors
Table 2 shows the associations of MVAP and sedentary behavior with demographic and clinical characteristics, physical function, psychological health, and QOL in allo-HSCT survivors. There was a negative correlation between MVPA and HADS (depression) in allo-HSCT survivors (r = -0.358, p = 0.032). Similarly, there was a negative correlation of sedentary behavior with HADS (anxiety) (r = -0.408, p = 0.014), age (r = 0.400, p = 0.016), and EORTC QLQ-C30 (emotion) (r = 0.356, p = 0.033) in allo-HSCT survivors. Contrastingly, MVPA and sedentary behavior were not associated with demographic and clinical characteristics as well as measurements in auto-HSCT survivors (results not shown). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that age was a significant predictor of sedentary behavior (β = 0.400, p = 0.016, Table 4).
Table 4
Stepwise multiple regression analysis of predictive factors for sedentary behavior in allo-HSCT survivors
Variables | β | 95%CI | p |
Age | 0.400 | 0.673–6.023 | 0.016* |
HADS (anxiety) | -0.311 | -22.828-0.201 | 0.054 |
CI, confidence interval; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, |
*p < 0.05 |