2026 Volume 4 Pages 23-32
Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between frailty prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) scores following transplantation.
Method: This multicenter, prospective observational study included patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who were prescribed rehabilitation prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Participants exhibiting at least one indicator of physical, social, cognitive, or oral frailty before transplantation were classified into the frail group, while the remaining patients were classified into the robust group. SPPB scores were measured before transplantation, at discharge, and one month after discharge. Within-group comparisons were conducted using multiple comparison tests. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was also conducted, with a decline of ≥ 1 point in SPPB at discharge as the dependent variable, frailty status as the primary explanatory variable, and age included as a covariate.
Results: Among the 39 patients analyzed (mean age: 57.1 years; 64% male), no significant difference in pre-transplant SPPB was observed between the groups. However, in the frailty group, SPPB scores declined significantly at discharge and did not recover at one month after discharge, whereas scores were maintained in the robust group.
Conclusion: Frailty prior to HSCT was associated with a decline in SPPB scores following transplantation.
