Neurocognitive functions and quality of life in haematological patients receiving haematopoietic stem cell grafts: a one-year follow-up pilot study.

Longitudinal data of neurocognitive functions and quality of life (QOL) were obtained for a cohort of 25 patients followed before transplant and through the first year after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT). A battery of neuropsychological tests and two self-report questionnaires were used to assess neurocognitive functions, QOL and psychological functioning. In comparison to normative data, up to one-fourth of the patients experienced impaired functioning on several cognitive domains before SCT. Random regression modelling revealed a slight improvement in the mean group scores of memory tasks over time, especially for younger patients. Impairment in neurocognitive functions was positively related to depression and anger at baseline, and to the emotional functioning scale at follow-up. These preliminary results emphasize the significance of a pre-treatment assessment and the need of a large baseline sample in future longitudinal studies to overcome the expected dropout rate of more than 50%.