Self‐endorsed cognitive problems versus objectively assessed cognitive impairment in blood or bone marrow transplantation recipients: A longitudinal study

• Published in: Cancer 2020-05, Vol.126 (10), p.2174-2182
• Main Authors: Murdaugh, Donna L., Bosworth, Alysia, Patel, Sunita K., Sharafeldin, Noha, Chen, Yanjun, Francisco, Liton, Forman, Stephen J., Wong, F. Lennie, Bhatia, Smita
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Blood; blood or bone marrow transplantation (BMT); Blood Transfusion; Bone marrow; Bone marrow transplantation; Bone Marrow Transplantation - adverse effects; cancer survivors; Case-Control Studies; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Dysfunction - diagnosis; Cognitive Dysfunction - etiology; cognitive impairment; Correlation analysis; Demographic variables; Endorsements; Female; Humans; Impairment; longitudinal; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariable control; Neuropsychological Tests; Oncology; return to work; Self Report; Statistical analysis; Stem cell transplantation; Subpopulations; Transfusion Reaction - psychology; Transplantation; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32773

Background Cognitive impairment in survivors of blood or bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is well documented. However, to the authors' knowledge, the clinical relevance of self‐endorsed cognitive problems and their relation to objectively assessed cognitive impairment is not known. Methods The authors assessed cognitive impairment in 378 BMT recipients (median age, 52.2 years, 40% of whom were female and 68% of whom were non‐Hispanic white) and 98 healthy controls at 5 predetermined time points: at baseline (before BMT) and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years after BMT. Self‐endorsed cognitive problems were evaluated using the Neuropsychological Impairment Scale (NIS) and correlated with a standardized 2‐hour battery of objective cognitive testing at each time point. The authors examined the magnitude of difference in self‐endorsed cognitive problems between BMT recipients and healthy controls, and the rate of change in scores over time. Multivariable analyses were used to identify clinical and/or demographic variables associated with self‐endorsed cognitive problems. The authors also examined the association between cognitive impairment and returning to work after BMT. Results Compared with healthy controls, BMT recipients endorsed more cognitive problems (P