Nutritional Status of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients and Post-transplant Outcomes

This study investigated the relationship between nutritional status of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients pre-/post-transplant and outcomes post-transplant. A secondary data analysis was conducted of 18 patients 2-weeks pre-transplant and 3 weeks post-transplant. Nutrients/food servings analyzed from 24-dietary recalls were scored for diet quality, antioxidant status, and energy adequacy (≥75% of recommended targets). Patient outcomes included frequency/severity of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, mucositis, % weight change, acute graft vs. host disease (aGVHD), length of stay (LOS), hospital readmission, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and plasma albumin and cytokine levels. Pre-transplant, patients consumed more calories, total and saturated fat (% kcals) and less carbohydrate (% kcals) vs. post-transplant. Higher vs. lower pre-transplant diet quality was related to positive weight change (p <. 05), and greater interleukin-10 (p <. 05). Energy inadequacy pre-transplant was related to more aGVHD post-transplant (p < 0.05). Post-transplant, higher diet quality was related to greater plasma albumin (p <. 05), shorter LOS (p <. 05), no ICU admissions (p <. 01), and more GI symptoms (p <. 05); higher antioxidant status was related to greater albumin (p <. 05); and energy adequacy was related to shorter LOS (p <. 05). Optimizing dietary quality, antioxidant status and energy adequacy pre-/post -transport are important considerations to improve patient outcomes after HSCT.