mHealth-Supported Exercise Rehabilitation to Reverse Frailty After Autologous Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma:...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Frailty is common in multiple myeloma (MM) survivors post-hematopoietic cell transplantation, impacting recovery and outcomes.
• Traditional rehabilitation is often inaccessible during early recovery.
• Mobile health (mHealth)-supported exercise presents a potential scalable solution, but evidence is limited in hematologic malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a 16-week mHealth-supported exercise program on frailty and physical function in MM survivors.
• To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of this intervention within 180 days post-autologous transplantation.

Main Methods:

• A single-center randomized controlled trial involving prefrail or frail MM survivors.
• Intervention: 8 weeks supervised tele-exercise followed by 8 weeks independent home-based exercise via mHealth platform.
• Outcomes measured: Fried frailty phenotype score, Short Physical Performance Battery, chair stand time, gait speed, and handgrip strength.

Main Results:

• The exercise group showed a significant reduction in frailty score compared to usual care (P<.001).
• Clinically meaningful improvements favoring exercise were observed at weeks 9 and 17.
• Significant improvements in chair stand time were sustained from week 9 to 17 (P=.002); other measures showed favorable trends.

Conclusions:

• A 16-week mHealth-supported exercise program is feasible, safe, and effective for reversing frailty and improving mobility in MM survivors post-transplant.
• This approach offers a scalable rehabilitation model during a critical recovery period.
• Larger trials with attention-matched controls and longer follow-up are recommended.