Association of Outcomes and Socioeconomic Status in Mexican Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

The association of clinical outcomes after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with the patient's socioeconomic status (SES) remains controversial, with the majority of studies reported to date performed in developed countries. Data from low- and middle-income regions where the SES varies greatly remain scarce. The objective of this study was to associate SES with outcomes after allogeneic HSCT in a referral center in Mexico. A retrospective study was performed including 124 consecutive patients. Patients were dichotomized into 2 groups based on a consensus with the Department of Social Work: low SES (level I-II) and high SES (level ≥III). Most patients were of low SES (n = 84; 68%). Age, educational attainment, employment status, and financial support were the sociodemographic characteristics that statistically differed between the 2 groups. All patients with low SES received financial support from governmental agencies or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Nonrelapse mortality and overall survival were similar in the 2 groups. Our study found no statistically significant differences in survival outcomes between patients of low SES and high SES. This demonstrates that our HSCT approaches are standardized and that all patients can benefit from HSCT irrespective of their financial status. It also suggests that the good outcomes in patients with low SES probably are related to the substantial governmental, NGO, and/or institutional subsidies these patients receive.