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Trajectory of Sleep, Depression, and Quality of Life in Pediatric HSCT Recipients
YunZu Michele Wang1, John F Huber2, Laura Flesch3
1Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Insights
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients experience disrupted sleep, with significant declines in sleep duration and efficiency. Improving sleep may enhance recovery, mental health, and quality of life during transplant.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Sleep Medicine
- Transplant Medicine
Background:
- Disrupted sleep is a common issue for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).
- Understanding the temporal patterns of sleep disturbances and their impact on patient well-being is crucial for improving care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize sleep patterns using actigraphy and assess quality of life, depression, and sleep quality through qualitative measures in pediatric and young adult HSCT recipients.
- To describe the time course of these parameters throughout the transplant process.
Main Methods:
- Actigraphy was used to objectively measure sleep parameters (duration, efficiency).
- Qualitative surveys assessed self-reported sleep quality, depression, and quality of life.
- Data were collected from pediatric and young adult transplant recipients.
Main Results:
- Objective sleep duration and efficiency were suboptimal before transplant and reached their lowest point between Day +7 and +14 post-transplant.
- Subjective sleep quality, depression, and quality of life scores were poorest between Day +14 and +30 post-transplant.
- All measured parameters showed improvement by Day +100 post-transplant.
Conclusions:
- Sleep disruption is a significant and measurable issue during HSCT, with objective and subjective impacts peaking in the early post-transplant period.
- Interventions aimed at improving sleep may positively influence patient recovery, mental health, and overall quality of life during and after HSCT.
Abstract:
Disrupted sleep is commonly reported during hematopoietic stem cell transplant. In this study, we use actigraphy to measure sleep parameters, and qualitative measures of quality of life, depression, and sleep in pediatric and young adult transplant recipients to describe their time course through transplant. Eight patients had evaluable actigraphy data, and 10 patients completed the surveys. The median age of the 6 male and 7 female participants was 13.94 years old. Sleep duration and efficiency measured by actigraphy were suboptimal prior to transplant, then declined to a nadir between Day +7 to +14. Self-reported sleep quality, depression, and quality of life were worst at Day +14 to +30 but improved by Day +100. Findings support efforts to improve sleep, which may improve recovery, mental health and quality of life.
