Health and functional status of adult recipients 1 year after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

<jats:p>Increasing numbers of patients are surviving after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Among these patients, a number of late complications have been described but few data on the risk factors of these long‐term effects of SCT are available. We report the analysis on 105 adult patients, surviving free of haematological disease at a median time of 15 months after SCT. At the time of screening, 52% had returned to work, general health status was normal in 67% and 47% were sexually active. Female patient gender odds ratio (OR) 2·9 (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·01) and age > 25 years (OR = 3·2, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·02) were associated with non‐return to work. Decreased general status was associated with chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) (OR = 3·2, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·009) and irradiation (OR = 3·6, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·004). Sexual inactivity was associated with younger age (OR = 7·0, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·0002) and chronic GvHD (OR = 3·3, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·006). Risk factors for altered pulmonary function tests included previous smoking habits, irradiation and chronic GvHD. Obstructive lung disease was associated with a previous history of asthma. Sicca syndrome and conjunctivitis were increased in patients with previous acute GvHD and cataracts were less frequent in patients with aplastic anaemia. Persistent impaired hair re‐growth was less frequent in patients who received irradiation (OR = 0·18, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·002) but increased in patients with previous acute GvHD (OR = 5·3, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·007). Microalbuminuria was more frequent in irradiated patients (OR = 9·4, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·05). Raised cholesterol was associated with age (OR = 20·8, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < 0·001), previous acute GvHD (OR = 4·7, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·03), steroid use (OR = 6·3, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·001) and familial hypercholesterolaemia (OR = 4·4, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·04). Decreased bone density was associated with chronic GvHD (OR = 3·9, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0·001). Thus, using routine tests in adult patients we were able to detect significant numbers of‐non‐symptomatic complications enabling early treatment.</jats:p>