Impact of Oral and Gastrointestinal Mucositis on Body Weight Alterations during Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether digestive tract mucositis is a predictive factor for body weight (BW) alterations during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Data about characteristics of transplantation, initial nutritional conditions and gastrointestinal mucositis were collected from adult patients (n = 105) who underwent autologous and allogeneic HSCT. Oral mucositis (OM) was not a predictive factor for BW loss, but it was an independent factor for BW gain in autologous HSCT (β = 0.329, P = 0.021). Busulfan-fludarabine conditioning regimen (β = 1.531, P = 0.011) and gender (β = 1.109, P = 0.038) were significant independent risk factors for BW loss in allogeneic HSCT. Overall survival (OS) was significantly affected by the duration of OM in autologous HSCT (HR = 1.243, P = 0.008). In allogeneic HSCT, BW loss (HR = 1.308, P = 0.049) and diarrhea (HR = 1.139, P = 0.012) interfered significantly with OS. In conclusion, OM was not a risk factor for BW loss, but it influenced BW gain and had a negative impact on OS in autologous HSCT patients. Intestinal mucositis explained partially the BW loss and had a negative impact on OS in allogeneic HSCT.

Acknowledgment

The authors thank to Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, for scholarship grants.

Additional information

Funding

Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development.