Effects of Structured Exercise Intervention During Umbilical Cord Blood
Transplantation in Children and Adolescents with Leukemia
Abstract
Background: Children and adolescents undergoing umbilical cord
blood transplantation (UCBT) are faced with severe challenges and a
decline in quality of life (QoL) during the inpatient period. This
prospective study investigated the effect of structured exercise
intervention on fatigue, QoL and clinical outcomes. Methods:
Participants (n=48) were randomized to a control group (CG: usual care)
or an intervention group (IG: structured exercise intervention). Fatigue
and QoL were assessed at hospital admission, 14 days after UCBT, and at
discharge using repeated measures analysis of variances. In addition,
engraftment kinetics, supportive care, and transplant-related
complications were derived from medical records. Results:
Forty-four patients completed the study, and the IG participated in an
average of 2.12 (1.36-2.8) training sessions with a duration of 24
(16-34) min weekly. Fatigue increased at 14 days after UCBT (76.04±15.88
vs. 69.03±15.36, p=0.031), but it returned to pre-UCBT levels at
discharge (74.10±16.31 vs. 76.04±15.88, p=0.578), with patients’
QoL was positively maintained during the exercise intervention
(75.16±11.27 vs. 74.77±10.58 vs. 77.40±14.33, p>0.05). However,
no significant differences were observed for the remainder of clinical
outcomes ( p>0.05). Conclusion: Our randomized study
indicated that structured exercise intervention might exert a protective
effect by attenuating the decline in fatigue and QoL.