Assessing cognition, depression and anxiety in hospitalized patients during pre and post-Bone Marrow Transplantation

Objective: Bone Marrow Transplantation is considered one of the main procedures used in the treatment of both malignant and non-malignant diseases. Psychological factors after Bone Marrow Transplantation have an important role in the survival of the patients undergoing this procedure.

Method: In the present study, some parameters including depression, anxiety and cognition were assessed during both pre and post-transplantation in patients undergoing Bone Marrow Transplantation. The evaluations were performed by utilizing several questionnaires including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Wechsler Memory Scale within 72 hours after hospitalization (pre-transplantation) and one month after transplantation (post-transplantation). All patients received intensive chemotherapy during the first 72 hours after hospitalization. Paired t test was used to compare pre and post values. SPSS (version 18) was used to analysis the data. The significance level was defined as p < 0.05.

Results: Twenty one patients who were not receiving any antianxiety agents at least for two weeks prior to and during this study were included. It was noted that anxiety was significantly less at post-transplantation compared to its pre-transplantation level (P = 0.008). However, no significant difference was found between pre and post-transplantation depression. Memory function was significantly improved at post-transplantation compared to pre-transplantation (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The authors suggest that the improvement of anxiety and memory status of the patients one month after the bone marrow transplantation is expected even in the absence of consumption of any antianxiety agents. However, antidepressants may be needed to help those patients who undergo bone marrow transplantation.