TY - JOUR
T1 - Fatigue and physical activity in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant
AU - Hacker, Eileen Danaher
AU - Ferrans, Carol
AU - Verlen, Ellen
AU - Ravandi, Farhad
AU - Van Besien, Koen
AU - Gelms, Julie
AU - Dieterle, Natalie
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Purpose/Objectives: To examine the patterns of fatigue, physical activity, health status, and quality of life before and after high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to examine the feasibility of obtaining real-time fatigue and physical activity data. Design: Prospective, repeated measures. Setting: Two midwestern academic medical centers. Sample: Convenience sample of autologous or allogeneic patients undergoing HSCT (N = 20 baseline, N = 17 post-transplant). Methods: Subjects were assessed over a five-day period before and after HSCT for a total of 10 days. Subjects rated fatigue intensity three times daily and wore a wrist actigraph to measure physical activity. At the end of both five-day periods, subjects completed measures of perceived health status (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30) and life satisfaction (Quality of Life Index). Main Research Variables: Fatigue, physical activity, perceived health status, and quality of life. Findings: Study results indicate that fatigue significantly increased and physical activity decreased following high-dose chemotherapy and HSCT. The decline coincided with diminished physical, emotional, role, and cognitive functioning. The symptoms that patients experienced (i.e., fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, sleep disturbances, appetite loss, and diarrhea) increased during the acute post-transplant period. No significant changes in life satisfaction were found. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy followed by HSCT experience increased fatigue, reduced physical activity, diminished functioning, and poorer quality of life immediately after transplant. Findings demonstrate that real-time fatigue and physical activity data can feasibly be collected in acutely ill patients. Implications for Nursing: Patients undergoing HSCT require considerable supportive nursing care immediately following transplant. Clinicians and researchers need to strive for effective symptom management to improve the likelihood of successful outcomes.
AB - Purpose/Objectives: To examine the patterns of fatigue, physical activity, health status, and quality of life before and after high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to examine the feasibility of obtaining real-time fatigue and physical activity data. Design: Prospective, repeated measures. Setting: Two midwestern academic medical centers. Sample: Convenience sample of autologous or allogeneic patients undergoing HSCT (N = 20 baseline, N = 17 post-transplant). Methods: Subjects were assessed over a five-day period before and after HSCT for a total of 10 days. Subjects rated fatigue intensity three times daily and wore a wrist actigraph to measure physical activity. At the end of both five-day periods, subjects completed measures of perceived health status (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30) and life satisfaction (Quality of Life Index). Main Research Variables: Fatigue, physical activity, perceived health status, and quality of life. Findings: Study results indicate that fatigue significantly increased and physical activity decreased following high-dose chemotherapy and HSCT. The decline coincided with diminished physical, emotional, role, and cognitive functioning. The symptoms that patients experienced (i.e., fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, sleep disturbances, appetite loss, and diarrhea) increased during the acute post-transplant period. No significant changes in life satisfaction were found. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy followed by HSCT experience increased fatigue, reduced physical activity, diminished functioning, and poorer quality of life immediately after transplant. Findings demonstrate that real-time fatigue and physical activity data can feasibly be collected in acutely ill patients. Implications for Nursing: Patients undergoing HSCT require considerable supportive nursing care immediately following transplant. Clinicians and researchers need to strive for effective symptom management to improve the likelihood of successful outcomes.
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U2 - 10.1188/06.ONF.614-624
DO - 10.1188/06.ONF.614-624
M3 - Article
C2 - 16676017
AN - SCOPUS:33746233577
SN - 0190-535X
VL - 33
SP - 614
EP - 624
JO - Oncology nursing forum
JF - Oncology nursing forum
IS - 3
ER -