Improved Quality of Life of Sickle Cell Disease Patients Post Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant: Another Indication for Transplant

Abstract

Introduction: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is among the most frequently inherited diseases worldwide. The severity of SCD ranges from mild to severe, and the disease involves multiple complications, including pulmonary hypertension, stroke, recurrent vaso-occlusive crises, end-organ damage, and an increased mortality risk. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is potentially a curative option for patients with SCD.

Objectives of the Study: The study objective was to assess the quality of life of adolescent and adult SCD patients receiving HCT pre-and post-transplant.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted. SCD patients with at least one year of follow-up after HCT were interviewed to assess their quality of life pre-and post-transplant. This study was conducted at the Transplant Center of King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh. The participants were identified through non-probability consecutive sampling. We used the FACT-G questionnaire to assess the domains of quality of life.

Results: Thirty-one patients were included. The median age of the respondents was 32 ± 6.3 years, and half were male (16; 51.6%). The most frequent indication for stem cell transplantation (58%) was a vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). The mean FACT-G score pre-transplantation was 55.2 ± 18.17, and that post-transplantation was 91 ± 14.58. The mean number of annual ER visits was significantly reduced from 27.3 pre-transplant to 6.6 post-transplant (P-value = .006). Over half of the respondents (51.6%) experienced no severe complications post-transplantation, and most (93.5%) reported improved quality of life.

Conclusion: HCT significantly improved the quality of life of adult SCD patients, with improvements in most of the FACT-G score domains. Although not measured by the FACT-G, the frequency of ER visits and hospital admissions were reduced significantly post-transplant, reflecting an improvement in the quality of life and a reduction in the cost of therapy for SCD patients.

Recommended Citation

Aljaafri, Bader Ali; Albawardi, Mohammad Fahad; Alghamdi, Abdulaziz Yahya; Altowairgi, Khaled Mohammad; Alhoshan, Yazeed Saleh; Alahmari, Bader; Alsadi, Husam; Ahmed, Mazin; Alnahdi, Mohammed; Aljubour, Zied; and Alzahrani, Mohsen (2023) "Improved Quality of Life of Sickle Cell Disease Patients Post Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant: Another Indication for Transplant," Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy: Vol. 17 : Iss. 1 , Article 7.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.56875/2589-0646.1107