The following is a summary of “Screening for distress and quality of life in pediatric patients after allogeneic or autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using a self-reporting instrument, blood stress biomarkers and an expert rating scale (PO-Bado),” published in the July 2023 issue of the Psychosomatic Research by Döring et al.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is distressing and potentially traumatic for pediatric and young adult (PYAP) patients. There currently needs to be more evidence regarding their burdens. In this prospective cohort study, the progression of psychological and somatic distress was examined on eight observation days (day -8/-12, -5, 0 (day of HSCT), +10, +20, and +30 before/after HSCT) using the PO-Bado external rating scale and the EORTC-QLQ-C15-PAL self-assessment questionnaire. Blood parameters associated with stress were determined and correlated with the questionnaire results. 

Analysis was performed on 64 PYAP with a median age of 9.1 years (range 0–26 years) who underwent autologous (n = 20; 31%; autoHSCT) or allogeneic (n = 44; 69%; alloHSCT) HSCT. Both were associated with a substantial decrease in quality of life. The decline in self-assessed quality of life was correlated with bodily and psychological distress as assessed by medical personnel. While physical pain was comparable in both groups with a peak around day+10 (alloHSCT 8.9 ±2.4 vs. autoHSCT 9.1 ±2.6; P = 0.69), psychological distress was substantially higher with alloHSCT (e.g., day0 alloHSCT 5.3 ±2.6 vs. day0 autoHSCT 3.2 ±1.0; P<0.0001). 

From day 0 to day + 10, after allogeneic and autologous pediatric HSCT, the highest levels of psychological and somatic distress and the lowest quality of life are observed. While bodily pain is comparable during autologous and allogeneic HSCT, psychological distress appears more significant in the allogeneic group. There is a need for more extensive prospective studies to evaluate this observation.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399923002155