Quality of life and needs for rehabilitation in patients with multiple myeloma: The elephant in the room

Ninety consecutive patients were included in this cross sectional survey of patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The study was approved by the Institute Ethics Committee and informed written consent was obtained. All patients (new and relapsed), irrespective of disease status and duration from diagnosis, underwent baseline evaluation following which they completed a scale exploring their functional status by Barthel mobility index scoring and QOL with the EORTC QOL scale with its myeloma module. The data was split into three subsets. First, newly diagnosed patients (naïve and on 1st line treatment) and relapsed categories. Second, according to disease status; and third as per duration from diagnosis (<6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months and >24 months). Mean score and frequency (%) was calculated. Comparison of scores between different categories was analyzed.

本横断面研究纳入90例连续入组的确诊多发性骨髓瘤（multiple myeloma）患者。本研究经机构伦理委员会审查批准，所有受试者均签署了书面知情同意书。所有患者（初治与复发患者）无论疾病状态与确诊时长，均先接受基线评估，随后完成两项量表测评：其一采用巴氏活动指数（Barthel mobility index）评定其功能状态，其二采用欧洲癌症研究与治疗组织生活质量量表（EORTC QOL scale）及其骨髓瘤专用模块评估其生活质量（QOL）。研究数据被划分为三个亚组：其一为初治患者组（含未接受过治疗且接受一线治疗的患者）与复发患者组；其二为按疾病状态划分的亚组；其三为按确诊时长划分的亚组（<6个月、6~12个月、12~24个月及>24个月）。计算各组的平均得分与百分比频数（%），并对不同亚组间的得分差异进行了统计分析。