Nutritional assessment during allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: single centre experience

The aim of this study was to analyse the changes in several parameters of nutritional status, acute phase proteins' levels and evaluation of the usefulness of the investigated parameters for qualification for total parenteral nutrition (TPN) during allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT).

The nutritional status was assessed in 24 patients. Biochemical and anthropometric indices of nutritional status as well as body fat and resting energy expenditure were assessed. The levels of acute phase proteins were estimated at the same time. All parameters were evaluated during the day before starting a conditioning regimen, after chemotherapy completion and every 7 days until engraftment, at least 3 times after stem cells infusion. Wilcoxon test and canonical analysis were used for statistical analyses.

The measurement of body weight and estimation of transferrin levels can be useful for the nutritional assessment during allogeneic HSCT from sibling donors. Prealbumin level, measured 8 days after the conditioning regimen, can be helpful to make a decision for TPN. Statistically significant differences were found in the levels of biochemical indices of nutritional status and in resting energy expenditure (REE) between patients who received stem cells from the bone marrow and from peripheral blood. Values were lower and decreased earlier after transplantation when bone marrow was the source of HSCT.

These findings may indicate that the influence of transplantation procedures over patients' nutritional status is bigger when bone marrow is used as a source of hematopoietic stem cells.