Quality of life assessment in patients undergoing reduced intensity conditioning allogeneic as compared to autologous transplantation: results of a prospective study.

The aim was to analyze quality-of-life (QOL) during the first year post transplant in 47 patients undergoing reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) allotransplantation, and to compare these with a similar subgroup of patients receiving autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We used self-reported questionnaires. Each answer scored from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much), with higher scores indicating worse functioning. Mean value of physical categories among RIC transplants ranged between 1.23 and 0.77 indicating that patients scored very low for physical symptoms. Patients undergoing ASCT had higher scores in questionnaires performed early after transplant and then gradually improved (P < 0.001). Overall, when we compared physical functioning scores, allo-RIC did significantly better (P = 0.049). Nevertheless, while allo-RIC scores were significantly better for the first three questionnaires, ASCT patients did better in the last two questionnaires. These findings are in accordance with the toxicities observed in both subgroups which are lower in the RIC group early after transplant. No significant differences were observed between either subgroup for any of the functional, social/ family, psychological distress and satisfaction with doctor/nurse relationship items. We have observed similar QOL among patients undergoing RIC-allo as compared to ASCT although GVHD remains an important 'event' in QOL.