Five years study on impact of anxiety on quality of life in patients treated with bone marrow transplantation.

OBJECTIVE This longitudinal research is to follow the changes in quality of life and in anxiety level of patients treated with bone marrow transplantation (BMT). SUBJECTS AND METHODS Patients selected in period from 1990 to 2000 were treated with bone marrow transplantation and were invited to participate in the study. In ten years period 299 patients were treated with BMT. 109 patients were included in this study (58 male and 51 female) after their informed consent was obtained. 42 of 109 patients were successfully monitored during a five year period and they successfully returned completed questionnaires. RESULTS The level of Karnofsky scores show statistically significant difference related to time that passed since BMT. Average value of Karnofsky scores in a group of patients 3 months after BMT was 82.22, and in group five years after BMT was 91.76. There is statistically significant difference between these values (p=0.003). Results of anxiety as a trait and as a state also show statistically significant decrease between measuring after leaving the hospital and five years after BMT. CONCLUSIONS There is statistically significant correlation between anxiety and quality of life, that is, with decrease of anxiety quality of life level increases.