Symptom Management and Psychosocial Needs of Adults With Acute Myeloid Leukemia During Induction Treatment: A Pilot Study.
Tara A Albrecht, Michael Boyiadzis, R K Elswick and 2 others
PMID 27631113WHAT IT FOUND
Patients with acute myeloid leukemia reported high symptom burden and low quality of life during induction chemotherapy.
Pain and lack of energy were most frequent. Those with prior psychological history had higher anxiety early on, which normalized by week 6.
Key findings
01Pain and lack of energy were the most frequent, severe, and distressing symptoms reported by patients.
02Participants with a history of psychological illness reported higher anxiety in weeks 1 and 2, but levels returned to normal by week 6.
03Health-related quality of life scores were low at baseline and showed a slight trend toward improvement over the six weeks of treatment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (19 participants), limiting the generalizability of the findings and the statistical power to detect predictors. The study was conducted at a single institution with a recognized palliative care program, which may not reflect typical referral patterns or resource availability elsewhere. Statistical models did not adjust for multiplicity, increasing the risk of false-positive findings. The observational design cannot determine causality for the associations found, such as the link between consults and higher reported distress.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the higher distress scores in patients receiving palliative or behavioral health consults as evidence that these interventions worsened symptoms. It is more likely that patients with higher initial distress were referred for support.