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Symptom clusters and their impact on quality of life in multiple myeloma survivors: Secondary analysis of BMT CTN 0702 trial. Br J Haematol 2024 Apr;204(4):1429-1438

Date

02/13/2024

Pubmed ID

38348544

Pubmed Central ID

PMC11006567

DOI

10.1111/bjh.19326

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85185482209 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

Autologous haematopoietic cell transplantation (autoHCT) and continuous post-transplant maintenance therapy are the standard of care in transplant-eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients. We sought to describe symptom burden and identify symptom clusters occurring in MM patients after autoHCT using data from the BMT CTN 0702 randomized controlled trial comparing the outcomes of three treatment interventions after an autoHCT in 758 MM patients. We analysed individual transplant-related symptoms assessed via the FACT-BMT questionnaire at enrolment and annually for 4-year post-autoHCT. We also described the effect the individual symptoms and symptom clusters have on quality of life (QoL). We identified three stable symptom clusters: malaise symptom cluster (lack of energy, feeling ill, having pain, experiencing nausea, loss of appetite), physical symptom cluster (having skin problems, tremors, worsening eyesight, change in taste, shortness of breath, frequent colds) and emotional symptom cluster (feeling sad, being nervous, experiencing sleep problems). Malaise and emotional symptom clusters have a greater impact on QoL than the physical symptoms cluster. Identifying these symptoms warrant additional support in terms of psychosocial support, in addition to treatment of the physical symptoms themselves.

Author List

Brazauskas R, Flynn K, Krishnan A, Landau H, Giralt S, Pasquini MC, Stadtmauer EA, D'Souza A

Authors

Ruta Brazauskas PhD Associate Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Anita D'Souza MD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Kathryn Eve Flynn PhD Vice Chair, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Humans
Multiple Myeloma
Pain
Quality of Life
Survivors
Syndrome