TY - JOUR

T1 - Longitudinal symptom burden in adult patients with acute leukaemia participating in the PACE-AL randomised controlled exercise trial-an explorative analysis

AU - Jarden, Mary

AU - Møller, Tom

AU - Christensen, Karl Bang

AU - Buchardt, Ann-Sophie

AU - Kjeldsen, Lars

AU - Adamsen, Lis

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Objective Patients with acute leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy experience multiple symptoms that interfere with activities of daily living. Exercise-based interventions have been used to remedy disease and treatment-related symptoms in patients with cancer. We explored the impact of exercise and health counselling on symptom prevalence, severity and longitudinal patterns.Methods Explorative analysis of M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory and Brief Fatigue Inventory completed weekly in a randomized controlled trial of patients with acute leukaemia undergoing consolidation chemotherapy. Seventy patients were consecutively recruited and randomly allocated to usual care (n = 36) or 12-week supervised exercise and health counselling (n = 34) at Copenhagen University Hospital, 2011-2014.Results There was no difference in symptom prevalence between groups, but we found a significant increase in symptom and fatigue severity in the intervention group during the study period. However, the symptom burden reduced significantly in both groups at 12 weeks. Longitudinally, the symptom cluster; 'drowsiness, fatigue, disturbed sleep, difficulty remembering' was significantly more severe in the intervention group.Conclusion Intervention and control group participants had substantial symptom and fatigue burden during 12-week moderate exercise and health counselling in patients with acute leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy. A greater symptom burden was found in the intervention group during the 12 weeks, though reducing in both groups at 12 weeks. Studies are needed to examine the link between exercise and symptom severity.

AB - Objective Patients with acute leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy experience multiple symptoms that interfere with activities of daily living. Exercise-based interventions have been used to remedy disease and treatment-related symptoms in patients with cancer. We explored the impact of exercise and health counselling on symptom prevalence, severity and longitudinal patterns.Methods Explorative analysis of M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory and Brief Fatigue Inventory completed weekly in a randomized controlled trial of patients with acute leukaemia undergoing consolidation chemotherapy. Seventy patients were consecutively recruited and randomly allocated to usual care (n = 36) or 12-week supervised exercise and health counselling (n = 34) at Copenhagen University Hospital, 2011-2014.Results There was no difference in symptom prevalence between groups, but we found a significant increase in symptom and fatigue severity in the intervention group during the study period. However, the symptom burden reduced significantly in both groups at 12 weeks. Longitudinally, the symptom cluster; 'drowsiness, fatigue, disturbed sleep, difficulty remembering' was significantly more severe in the intervention group.Conclusion Intervention and control group participants had substantial symptom and fatigue burden during 12-week moderate exercise and health counselling in patients with acute leukaemia undergoing chemotherapy. A greater symptom burden was found in the intervention group during the 12 weeks, though reducing in both groups at 12 weeks. Studies are needed to examine the link between exercise and symptom severity.

KW - acute leukaemia

KW - exercise

KW - fatigue

KW - health counselling

KW - symptom burden

KW - symptom cluster analysis

KW - symptom clusters

KW - symptom management

KW - ACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA

KW - QUALITY-OF-LIFE

KW - CANCER-PATIENTS

KW - TRAUMATIC STRESS

KW - FATIGUE

KW - CHEMOTHERAPY

KW - DEPRESSION

KW - MANAGEMENT

KW - IMPACT

KW - INTERVENTION

U2 - 10.1111/ecc.13462

DO - 10.1111/ecc.13462

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34021510

VL - 30

JO - European Journal of Cancer Care

JF - European Journal of Cancer Care

SN - 0961-5423

IS - 5

M1 - 13462

ER -