Background: High dose chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy used in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is associated with side effects impacting nutritional status.
Aims: To describe nutrition status and management of patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT
Methods: All patients admitted for allogeneic HSCT at a specialist Victorian Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant service from 1st January to 31st December 2023 were eligible for inclusion. Data were collected retrospectively from the electronic medical record and included demographics, length of stay (LOS), nutrition status and management.
Results: Eighty-eight patients were included (65% male, median age 56.5yrs [IQR, 45-63] with mean BMI on admission 27.7 m2/kg (SD+/- 4.7)). Mean LOS was 37 days (SD+/-18), HSCT typically occurs 7-8 days into admission. Eighty-five percent (n=75) were referred to the dietitian with median day of referral and dietetics assessment occurring on day 4 [IQR 0-6] post HSCT. Of these, 67% (n=59) had a Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) completed of which 17% (n=10) had malnutrition. Eighty per cent (n=70) of patients lost weight during admission (median weight loss 3.3% [IQR 0.7-7]). The most common nutrition intervention was parenteral nutrition (91%/n=61) administered for median duration of 10 days [IQR 0-19], followed by parenteral plus enteral nutrition (6.5%) and enteral nutrition only (1.5%).
Conclusions: Deterioration of nutrition status in patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT occurs despite dietetic input and high levels of artificial nutrition support. These results will be used to develop a specific model of care to ensure timely nutrition assessment and intervention in this cohort.
Acknowledgements: Melanie Armet BMT Data Manager Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The Royal Melbourne Hospital