QUALITY-OF-LIFE FOLLOWING BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION - FINDINGS FROMA MULTICENTER STUDY

Questionnaires assessing a range of quality of life (QOL) outcomes wer e completed by 200 adult bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients from five BMT treatment centres. Respondents had undergone allogeneic (46%) or autologous BMT (54%) for a haematological malignancy and were dise ase free and at least 12 months post BMT (mean 43 months). Variability in post-BMT QOL was reported with deficits in physical, sexual and oc cupational functioning particularly likely. Allogeneic recipients repo rted poorer QOL than autologous recipients. Greater age at BMT, lower level of education and more advanced disease at BMT were consistent ri sk factors for poorer QOL. Contrary to previous research, evidence for improved functional status with the passage of time post BMT was obta ined. Factors generally not associated with post-BMT QOL included dise ase diagnosis, dose of total body irradiation, presence of chronic gra ft-versus-host disease (GVHD), type of GVHD prophylaxis and extent of marrow graft match. In conclusion, while many BMT recipients reported normal QOL, the majority indicated that their QOL was compromised rela tive to premorbid status. Prospective, longitudinal research will be n ecessary to further identify risk factors for poor post-BMT QOL and id entify the temporal trajectory of post-BMT QOL.