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The importance of physical function in patients with multiple myeloma for improving quality of life

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between physical function and quality of life in multiple myeloma patients.

Methods

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, data from patients with multiple myeloma (N = 63), who were referred to the department of Rehabilitation Medicine from October 2017 to May 2018, were reviewed. Patients were excluded based on the following criteria: acute illness, unstable medical conditions, impaired cognition or communication, refusal, or inability to perform the assessment. Physical function was evaluated with the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaires QLQ-C30 and QLQ-MY20 were used for the evaluation of quality of life. To evaluate fatigue and psychotic status, the Fatigue Severity Scale and Beck Depression Inventory were used. Patients were divided into two groups (“good-function group” and “poor-function group”), based on previously studied normative values of the Mini-BESTest. Clinical data was reviewed to interrogate the contributing factors of physical function.

Results

Positive correlations were observed between Mini-BESTest scores and all domains of the QLQ-C30. The Mini-BESTest score was lower in patients with lower serum hemoglobin (r = 0.396, p = 0.001) and albumin levels (r = 0.440, p < 0.001), severe disease-related symptoms (r = − 0.39, p = 0.02), and depression (r = − 0.538, p < 0.001). Further, the poor-function group showed lower hemoglobin (p = 0.024) and albumin levels (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

In patients with multiple myeloma, physical function had a significant relationship with quality of life. Low hemoglobin and albumin levels, severe disease- or treatment-related symptoms, and depression were related to decreased physical function, and thus consequentially exert an effect on quality of life in multiple myeloma patients.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No. 2018R1A2B6001296).

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Author notes

  1. Inho Kim and Kwan Sik Seo contributed equally to this paper.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea

    Shin Hoo Kim & Kwan Sik Seo

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea

    Inho Kim, Youngil Koh, Dongyeop Shin & Joonsik Hong

  3. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea

    Kwan Sik Seo

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  1. Shin Hoo Kim
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Kim, S.H., Kim, I., Koh, Y. et al. The importance of physical function in patients with multiple myeloma for improving quality of life. Support Care Cancer 28, 2361–2367 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-05054-y

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