Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Systematic Literature Review

Fatigue in hematological cancer changes across chemotherapy trajectory within the context of IL-6, not hemoglobin level: evidence from growth curve modeling

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to examine (a) how fatigue severity changes during the course of chemotherapy in patients with hematologic cancer and (b) whether cytokines (IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6) are associated with fatigue change after controlling for demographic and clinical factors (e.g., hemoglobin/hematocrit, medications, comorbid conditions).

METHODS

This observational cohort study used data from 148 hematological cancer patients four times: prior to chemotherapy, on the last day of chemotherapy, 1 week after the chemotherapy completion, and 1 month after baseline assessment. Latent growth curve modeling was used to examine the longitudinal association of fatigue severity with cytokines and hemoglobin.

RESULTS

A quadratic growth curve model fit the data well, indicating model tenability, and explained a large amount of variance in fatigue across measurement time points. Fatigue slightly increased toward the end of chemotherapy and decreased with time after chemotherapy completion. The influence of IL-6 on fatigue was significant at all time points except at the last assessment occasion (i.e., 1 month after the baseline assessment). The influence of IL-6 on fatigue was independent (unique) from the impact of hemoglobin level. Age and chemotherapy given for the first line of treatment significantly influenced the rate of fatigue change over time. Age also influenced the change pattern's shape.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue severity changes across the course of chemotherapy within the context of IL-6 activity, not the hemoglobin level. The influence of IL-6 may be limited during and shortly after chemotherapy. These findings inform the development of new symptom management strategies.

Trajectories of physical well-being among adults with acute myeloid leukemia

ABSTRACT

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often undergo physical decline leading to negative outcomes. Identification of distinct trajectories may help guide clinical decision-making and supportive care interventions. We built group-based trajectory models (GBTM) to find trajectories of change in the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Physical Well-Being (FACT-PWB) subscale (up to 5 time points over 0 to 200 days of follow-up) using data from adults with newly diagnosed AML in 4 supportive care studies. We also estimated the association of baseline characteristics (age, marital status, education, AML risk, baseline FACT-PWB, depression, and anxiety) with group membership. Among 343 patients with ≥2 FACT-PWB scores, mean age was 69.6 years (standard deviation, 12.1); most had intermediate-risk AML (n = 178 [51.8%]), received intensive treatment (n = 244 [71.1%]), and died during follow-up (n = 199 [58.0%]). The GBTM with 4 distinct trajectories showed the best fit. The largest group (n = 153 [45.0%]) showed slight improvement, whereas the smallest (n = 8 [2.4%]) experienced early decline with later improvement. Baseline FACT-PWB was the only characteristic statistically significantly associated with group membership. Adults with AML show distinct trajectories of physical well-being, and many experience some decline. Exploring trajectories of self-reported and objective physical function may inform decision-making and interventions. These trials were registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT02975869, #NCT03310918, and #NCT03372291.

Fatigue in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia: general population comparison and predictive factors

OBJECTIVES

This study compared the burden of fatigue between treatment-naïve patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and the general population and investigated patient factors associated with fatigue severity.

METHODS

Pretreatment patient-reported fatigue was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue questionnaire in a sample of 463 newly diagnosed patients with AML who were enrolled in a clinical trial. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate the adjusted mean differences in fatigue between patients with AML and adults from the general population (n=847) by AML disease risk categories. A clinically meaningful difference in fatigue was defined as ≥3 points. Univariable and multivariable linear regression models were used to identify sociodemographic, clinical and molecular correlates of worse fatigue in patients with AML.

RESULTS

Patients with AML reported adjusted mean fatigue scores that were 7.5 points worse than the general population (95% CI -8.6 to -6.4, p<0.001). Across AML disease risk categories, adjusted mean differences in fatigue compared with the general population ranged from 6.7 points worse (patients with favourable risk: 95% CI -8.6 to -4.8, p<0.001) to 8.9 points worse (patients with poor risk, 95% CI -10.5 to -7.2, p<0.001). Overall, 91% of patients with AML reported fatigue that was equal to or worse than the general population's median fatigue score. Higher pretreatment fatigue was independently associated with female sex, WHO performance status ≥1 and lower platelet levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with newly diagnosed AML reported worse fatigue than the general population, and mean differences exceeded twice the threshold for clinical significance. Our findings may help to identify patients with AML most likely to benefit from supportive care interventions to reduce fatigue.

Survival Outcomes and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults Diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Receiving Frontline Therapy in Daily Practice

Acute myeloid leukemia has a poor prognosis in older adults, and its management is often unclear due to its underrepresentation in clinical trials. Both overall survival (OS) and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) are key outcomes in this population, and patient-reported outcomes may contribute to patient stratification and treatment assignment. This prospective study included 138 consecutive patients treated in daily practice with the currently available non-targeted therapies (intensive chemotherapy [IC], attenuated chemotherapy [AC], hypomethylating agents [HMA], or palliative care [PC]). We evaluated patients' condition at diagnosis (Life expectancy [Lee Index for Older Adults], Geriatric Assessment in Hematology [GAH scale], HRQoL [EQ-5D-5L questionnaire], and fatigue [fatigue items of the QLQ-C30 scale]), OS, early death (ED), treatment tolerability (TT) and change in HRQoL over 12 months follow-up. The median OS was 7.1 months (IC not reached, AC 5.9, HMA 8.8, and PC 1.0). Poor risk AML category and receiving just palliative care, as well as a higher Lee index score in the patients receiving active therapy, independently predicted a shorter OS. The Lee Index and GAH scale were not useful for predicting TT. The white blood cell count was a valid predictor for ED. Patients' HRQoL remained stable during follow-up.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Treatment Satisfaction of Patients with Blood Cancer in Kazakhstan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Blood cancer is the most prevalent health problem associated with poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Associations between HRQoL and its determinants including physical, emotional, and functional domains are insufficiently investigated among blood cancer patients of Kazakhstan. We aimed to assess HRQoL and treatment satisfaction of blood cancer patients in Kazakhstan.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study, conducted from November 2022 to December 2022, which enrolled all adult blood cancer patients registered at the healthcare facilities of Semey. This study involved 87 respondents. A questionnaire of the authors' design and the SF-36 questionnaire were used to obtain the data, which was validated.

RESULTS

Out of 87 patients, 47 (54,0%) were males whose mean age was 35,72 ± 1,64 years and 40 (46,0%) were females with the mean age of 45,83 ± 1,57 years. None of the patients were very satisfied with their current clinical management and status monitoring and the overall rate of patient dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied was 48.9%. The two questions of "How long have you been seen by a hematologist?" (p=0,019) and "How do you evaluate the organization of medical care in the field of hematology?" (p=0,000) were predictors of patient satisfaction in multiple linear regression analysis. There was a significant difference in the individual SF-36 dimensions and overall QOL scored in different age group participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the study found that the five determinates affect QOL revealed significant differences between individual age groups and identified key determinants of patient dissatisfaction. Also, it is the first attempt to understand the experience of blood cancer patients in the healthcare system in Kazakhstan, and the results may contribute to a discussion between healthcare professionals and patients on initiatives that need to be taken to improve the quality of healthcare services provided.

Research Strategy for the Development of a Quality-of-Life Decision-Making Model for Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a deadly cancer, especially for patients over 60 years of age who face the dilemma of choosing the best treatment during a time of crisis. Current research in the older AML population is focused on survival without addressing quality of life (QOL). Survival and QOL data are essential for patients to decide which treatment best aligns with their goals, whether for survival or improved QOL. Research aims: The aims of this study are to: (1) Describe differences in QOL among newly diagnosed older AML patients receiving intensive chemotherapy compared with nonintensive chemotherapy (at baseline, and days 30, 60, 90, and 180 post treatment); (2) Identify the individual clinical disease characteristics and patient factors of newly diagnosed AML patients that predict QOL among those receiving two treatment intensities; and (3) Design a patient decision-making model that integrates the significant clinical disease and patient factor predictors of QOL for newly diagnosed older AML patients. Methods: An exploratory observational design will be used to address aims 1 and 2. Data will be collected from 200 patients ≥ 60 years of age with newly diagnosed AML. Subjects will complete the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia, Brief Fatigue Inventory, and Memorial Symptom Assessment Short Form within 7 days of beginning new treatment and at days 30, 60, 90 and 180. Clinical disease characteristics will be completed by the health-care team. A patient decision-making model will be developed to provide survival and quality-of-life data for intensive and nonintensive chemotherapy.

Patient-reported outcomes from the phase 3 ADMIRAL trial in patients with FLT3-mutated relapsed/refractory AML

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can inform treatment selection and assess treatment value in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We evaluated PROs from the ADMIRAL trial (NCT02421939) in patients with FLT3-mutated relapsed/refractory (R/R) AML. PRO instruments consisted of Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Dyspnea Short Form (FACIT-Dys SF), EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), and leukemia treatment-specific symptom questionnaires. Clinically significant effects on fatigue were observed with gilteritinib during the first two treatment cycles. Shorter survival was associated with clinically significant worsening of BFI, FACT-Leu, FACIT-Dys SF, and EQ-5D-5L measures. Transplantation and transfusion independence in gilteritinib-arm patients were also associated with maintenance or improvement in PROs. Health-related quality of life remained stable in the gilteritinib arm. Hospitalization had a small but significant effect on patient-reported fatigue. Gilteritinib was associated with a favorable effect on fatigue and other PROs in patients with FLT3-mutated R/R AML.

Determinants of quality of life of cancer patients at a tertiary care medical city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Incidences of cancer are increasing at an unprecedented rate in Saudi Arabia, making it a major public health concern. Cancer patients are faced with physical, psychological, social, and economic challenges, all of which can impact quality of life (QoL).

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to explore the sociodemographic, psychological, clinical, cultural, and personal factors that could affect the overall QoL of cancer patients.

METHODS

A total of 276 cancer patients who attended the King Saud University Medical City's oncology outpatient clinics between January 2018 to December 2019 were included. QoL was assessed with the Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30. Psychosocial factors were assessed with several validated scales.

RESULTS

QoL was poorer among patients who were female (p = 0.001), have visited a psychiatrist (p = 0.028); were taking psychiatric medications (p = 0.022); and had experienced anxiety (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001), and distress (p < 0.001). The most used method to self-treat was Islamic Ruqya (spiritual healing; 48.6%), and the most often perceived cause for developing cancer was evil eye or magic (28.6%). Good QoL outcomes were associated with biological treatment (p = 0.034) and satisfaction with health care (p = 0.001). A regression analysis showed that female sex, depression, and dissatisfaction with health care were independently associated with poor QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that several factors could influence cancer patients' QoL. For instance, female sex, depression, and dissatisfaction with health care were all predictors of poor QoL. Our findings support the need for more programs and interventions to improve the social services for cancer patients, along with the need to explore the social difficulties oncology patients face and address such obstacles through improving social services by expanding the scope of social workers' contribution. Larger multicenter longitudinal studies are warranted to examine the generalizability of the results.

Venetoclax combined with low dose cytarabine compared to standard of care intensive chemotherapy for the treatment of favourable risk adult acute myeloid leukaemia (VICTOR): Study protocol for an international, open-label, multicentre, molecularly-guided randomised, phase II trial

BACKGROUND

For patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), the only potentially curative treatment is intensive chemotherapy (IC). This is highly toxic, particularly for patients > 60 years, potentially leading to prolonged hospitalisations requiring intensive supportive care, and sometimes treatment-related death. This also results in extensive healthcare costs and negatively impacts quality of life (QoL). Venetoclax with low-dose cytarabine (VEN + LDAC) is a novel, low-intensity treatment for AML patients who cannot receive IC. VEN + LDAC is given as an outpatient and toxicity appears significantly lower than with IC. Analysis of clinical trials performed to date are promising for patients with the genotype NPM1mutFLT3 ITDneg, where remission and survival rates appear comparable to those achieved with IC.

METHODS

VICTOR is an international, two-arm, open-label, multi-centre, non-inferiority, randomised-controlled phase II trial to assess VEN + LDAC compared to standard of care (IC) as first-line treatment in older patients (initially aged ≥ 60 years) with newly diagnosed AML. The trial will recruit patients with a NPM1mutFLT3 ITDneg genotype; those with a favourable risk in relation to the experimental treatment. University of Birmingham is the UK co-ordinating centre, with national hubs in Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, and Auckland District Health Board, New Zealand. The primary outcome is molecular event-free survival time where an event is defined as failure to achieve morphological complete response (CR) or CR with incomplete blood count recovery after two cycles of therapy; molecular persistence, progression or relapse requiring treatment change; morphological relapse, or; death. Secondary outcomes include cumulative resource use at 12- and 24-months, and QoL as assessed by EORTCQLQ-C30 and EQ-5D-3L at 3-, 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-months. The trial employs an innovative Bayesian design with target sample size of 156 patients aged > 60 years.

DISCUSSION

The principle underpinning the VICTOR trial is that the chance of cure for patients in the experimental arm should not be compromised, therefore, an adaptive design with regular checks on accumulating data has been employed, which will allow for a staged expansion of the trial population to include younger patients if, and when, there is sufficient evidence of non-inferiority in older patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

EudraCT: 2020-000,273-24; 21-Aug-2020.

ISRCTN

15,567,173; 08-Dec-2020.

Burden of chemotherapy in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia in the United States: a retrospective claims database study

BACKGROUND

Real-world estimates of relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) chemotherapy episode costs are scarce. We quantified chemotherapy episode-related costs and healthcare resource use (HRU) in R/R AML.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This real-world, retrospective analysis of United States claims from IQVIA's PharMetrics® Plus database (October 2008-September 2019) identified adults with R/R AML and ≥1 chemotherapy episode. Chemotherapy episode (ie, low- [LIC] or high-intensity [HIC] chemotherapy) costs and HRU were determined using inpatient, outpatient, and pharmacy claims.

RESULTS

Mean (SD) and median total all-cause healthcare costs per R/R AML chemotherapy episode were $230,799 ($300,770) and $129,117. Mean (SD) and median adjusted direct R/R AML chemotherapy episode costs were $116,384 ($151,425) and $63,298, with increases noted from the first to the second and subsequent episodes and with HIC. Hospitalizations were the major cost driver; 64.1% of patients had ≥1 hospitalization and 36% required an intensive care unit stay.

CONCLUSIONS

R/R AML chemotherapy episode costs were high, with higher costs reported with HIC and increasing lines of chemotherapy. Hospitalizations were a main cost driver. Novel therapies with comparable or improved effectiveness and decreased need for hospitalizations versus chemotherapy may help alleviate the clinical and economic burden of R/R AML.

Patient, Family Member and Physician Perspectives and Experiences with AML Treatment Decision-Making

Introduction

Treatment decisions in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are challenging, particularly for those who are not candidates for intensive chemotherapy (IC), and the trade-offs patients, their families and physicians consider when choosing a treatment option are not well understood. This qualitative research explored the value of extending survival and the treatment decision-making process from a multi-stakeholder perspective.

Methods

Overall, 28 patients with AML (≥ 65 years old, unsuitable for IC), 25 of their relatives and 10 independent physicians from the US, UK and Canada took part in one-on-one, 60-minute qualitative interviews.

Results

Across all stakeholders, improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL), extended survival and relief of AML symptoms were recognized as most important in AML treatment decision-making. However, extending survival in ‘good health’ was more important than extending survival alone, particularly because of the extra time it gives patients and their relatives together, and allows patients to achieve important goals. Patients’ limited understanding of available treatment options, paired with incorrect perceptions of treatment side effects, impacted their involvement in the treatment decision-making process. Patients and physicians perceived physicians to have the most influence in the decision-making process despite their priorities not always aligning.

Conclusion

These findings illustrate the importance of having structured discussions which explicitly assess patients’ goals and their understanding and expectations of treatments and also the need for patient friendly resources about the lived experience of AML and available treatment options. These measures will help to ensure that patients are fully involved in the shared decision-making process.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40487-022-00200-9.

Venetoclax combinations delay the time to deterioration of HRQoL in unfit patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Phase 3 trials Viale-A and Viale-C evaluated health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with AML unfit for intensive chemotherapy who received venetoclax (VEN) + (AZA) (Viale-A) or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) (Viale-C) or placebo (PBO) + AZA or LDAC. Patient-reported outcomes included: EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status (GHS/QoL) and physical functioning (PF), PROMIS Cancer Fatigue Short Form 7a (Fatigue), and EQ-5D-5L health status visual analog scale (HS-VAS). Time to deterioration (TTD), defined as worsening from baseline in meaningful change thresholds (MCT) of ≥10, 5, or 7 points for GHS/QoL or PF, fatigue, and HS-VAS, respectively, was assessed; differences between groups were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and unadjusted log-rank analyses. VEN + AZA vs PBO + AZA patients had longer TTD in GHS/QoL (P = 0.066) and fatigue (P = 0.189), and significantly longer TTD in PF (P = 0.028) and HS-VAS (P < 0.001). VEN + LDAC vs PBO + LDAC patients had significantly longer TTD in GHS/QoL (P = 0.011), PF (P = 0.020), and fatigue (P = 0.004), and a trend in HS-VAS (P = 0.057). Approximately 43%, 35%, 32%, and 18% of patients treated with VEN + AZA, AZA + PBO, VEN + LDAC, or LDAC + PBO, respectively, saw improvements >MCT in GHS/QoL. Overall, VEN may positively impact HRQoL in patients with AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy, leading to longer preservation of functioning and overall health status.

It doesn't stop at validation: patient reported outcome measures require ongoing and iterative development

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are a pillar of modern-day patient-centered care and clinical trials. PROs complement clinical information with the patient's own report about their experiences of health, without influence or interpretation by other people. However, choosing an appropriate PRO measure from the many available remains challenging for clinicians and researchers. One of the common pitfalls in instrument selection is that the instrument is often developed with a different patient population than the group being cared for or researched. This difference can result in salient items of importance to the patients, being under-reported or missed altogether. We highlight, through the reporting of some of our own data, that PRO instrument development does not stop with a validation study and we provide suggestions for future research for further improvement in this space.

A systematic literature review of disease burden and clinical efficacy for patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rapidly progressive hematological malignancy that is difficult to cure. The prognosis is poor and treatment options are limited in case of relapse. A comprehensive assessment of current disease burden and the clinical efficacy of non-intensive therapies in this population are lacking. We conducted two systematic literature reviews (SLRs). The first SLR (disease burden) included observational studies reporting the incidence and economic and humanistic burden of relapsed/refractory (RR) AML. The second SLR (clinical efficacy) included clinical trials (phase II or later) reporting remission rates (complete remission [CR] or CR with incomplete hematologic recovery [CRi]) and median overall survival (mOS) in patients with RR AML or patients with de novo AML who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. For both SLRs, MEDLINE®/Embase® were searched from January 1, 2008 to January 31, 2020. Clinical trial registries were also searched for the clinical efficacy SLR. After screening, two independent reviewers determined the eligibility for inclusion in the SLRs based on full-text articles. The disease burden SLR identified 130 observational studies. The median cumulative incidence of relapse was 29.4% after stem cell transplant and 46.8% after induction chemotherapy. Total per-patient-per-month costs were $28,148-$29,322; costs and health care resource use were typically higher for RR versus non-RR patients. Patients with RR AML had worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores than patients with de novo AML across multiple instruments, and lower health utility values versus other AML health states (i.e. newly diagnosed, remission, consolidation, and maintenance therapy). The clinical efficacy SLR identified 50 trials (66 total trial arms). CR/CRi rates and mOS have remained relatively stable and low over the last 2 decades. Across all arms, the median rate of CR/CRi was 18.3% and mOS was 6.2 months. In conclusion, a substantial proportion of patients with AML will develop RR AML, which is associated with significant humanistic and economic burden. Existing treatments offer limited efficacy, highlighting the need for more effective non-intensive treatment options.

Estimating the Productivity Impact of Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Australia Between 2020 and 2029, Using a Novel Work Utility Measure: The Productivity-Adjusted Life Year (PALY)

PURPOSE

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare hematologic malignancy accounting for 0.8% of new cancer diagnoses in Australia. High mortality and morbidity affect work productivity through workforce dropout and premature death. This study sought to estimate the productivity loss attributable to AML in the Australian population over 10 years and to estimate the costs of this productivity loss. Productivity was measured using productivity-adjusted life years (PALYs), a similar concept to quality-adjusted life years, but adjusts for the productivity loss attributable to disease, rather than impaired health.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dynamic life tables modeled the Australian working population (age 15-65 years) between 2020 and 2029. The model population had two cohorts: those with and without AML. Differences in life years, PALYs, and costs represented the health and productivity impact of AML. Secondary analyses evaluated the impact of different scenarios.

RESULTS

Over the next 10 years, there will be 7,600 years of life lost and 7,337 PALYs lost because of AML, amounting to Australian dollars (AU$) 1.43 billion in lost gross domestic product ($971 million in US dollars). Secondary analyses highlight potential savings of approximately AU$52 million if survival rates were improved by 20% and almost AU$118 million in savings if the return-to-work rates increased by 20% on the current estimates.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrates that even in low-incidence cancer, high mortality and morbidity translate to profound impacts on years of life, productivity, and the broader economy. Better treatment strategies are likely to result in significant economic gains. This highlights the value of investing in research for improved therapies.

Characterising experiences with acute myeloid leukaemia using an Instagram content analysis

Instagram has more than one billion monthly users, which presents a unique research opportunity particularly in rare diseases or hard to reach populations. This study focuses on acute myeloid leukaemia, a rare haematological malignancy and aims to characterise who posts acute myeloid leukaemia-related content and the type of content created. The findings can provide information and a method for future studies, particularly those focused on online or social media based interventions. Acute myeloid leukaemia-related Instagram posts were identified by searching specific and relevant hashtags (#). A content analysis systematically classified themes in the data. A convenience sample of 100 posts (138 photos) were manually extracted and coded. Data are described using descriptive statistics and demonstrated by qualitative examples. The most frequent users in our sample were patients (66%), patient support networks (24%) and professional organisations (10%). Patients who were communicating their health update (31%) were the most frequently posted content and 25% of these posts described a symptom experience. Our findings demonstrate that patients and their support networks are frequenting Instagram and therefore may be able to receive and benefit from tailored intervention, however there is an identified gap in health-organisations participating in this virtual online community.

Therapeutic Use of Valproic Acid and All-Trans Retinoic Acid in Acute Myeloid Leukemia-Literature Review and Discussion of Possible Use in Relapse after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Even though allogeneic stem cell transplantation is the most intensive treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chemo-resistant leukemia relapse is still one of the most common causes of death for these patients, as is transplant-related mortality, i.e., graft versus host disease, infections, and organ damage. These relapse patients are not always candidates for additional intensive therapy or re-transplantation, and many of them have decreased quality of life and shortened expected survival. The efficiency of azacitidine for treatment of posttransplant AML relapse has been documented in several clinical trials. Valproic acid is an antiepileptic fatty acid that exerts antileukemic activity through histone deacetylase inhibition. The combination of valproic acid and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is well tolerated even by unfit or elderly AML patients, and low-toxicity chemotherapy (e.g., azacitidine) can be added to this combination. The triple combination of azacitidine, valproic acid, and ATRA may therefore represent a low-intensity and low-toxicity alternative for these patients. In the present review, we review and discuss the general experience with valproic acid/ATRA in AML therapy and we discuss its possible use in low-intensity/toxicity treatment of post-allotransplant AML relapse. Our discussion is further illustrated by four case reports where combined treatments with sequential azacitidine/hydroxyurea, valproic acid, and ATRA were used.

The important role of intensive induction chemotherapy in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

Introduction: Intensive induction chemotherapy followed by post-remission consolidation and/or allogeneic hematopoietic transplantation has been a standard-of-care therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) for decades. In recent years, a plethora of new agents have been approved for AML treatment, dramatically changing the AML treatment landscape.Areas covered: This review provides an overview of the current role of intensive chemotherapy in the changing AML treatment landscape. PubMed-indexed publications (through 2020) and abstracts presented at major national and international conferences were reviewed for inclusion.Expert opinion: While intensive chemotherapy is standard-of-care therapy for younger patients with AML, older patients were historically viewed as universally ineligible for intensive chemotherapy; however, several studies suggest many older patients benefit from intensive chemotherapy with a curative intent, and a more holistic approach to determining eligibility for intensive treatment is recommended. Intensive strategies have also been expanded to include novel chemotherapy designs and chemotherapy in combination with targeted agents for patients with certain disease characteristics, which may permit more personalized treatment decisions. Intensive chemotherapy continues to play a pivotal role for the management of many AML patients and can offer the best chance of long-term remission, especially when followed by transplantation.

Prioritizing the worries of AML patients: Quantifying patient experience using best-worst scaling

CONTEXT

Although patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) experience significant toxicities and poor outcomes, few studies have quantified patients' experience.

METHODS

A community-centered approach was used to develop an AML-specific best-worst scaling (BWS) instrument involving 13 items in four domains (psychological, physical, decision-making, and treatment delivery) to quantify patient worry. A survey of patients and caregivers was conducted using the instrument. Data were analyzed using conditional logistic regression.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 832 patients and 237 caregivers. Patients were predominantly white (88%), married/partnered (72%), and in remission (95%). The median age was 55 years (range: 19-87). Median time since diagnosis was 8 years (range: 1-40). Patients worried most about "the possibility of dying from AML" (BWS score = 15.5, confidence interval [CI] [14.2-16.7]) and "long-term side effects of treatments" (14.0, CI [12.9-15.2]). Patients found these items more than twice as worrisome as all items within the domains of care delivery and decision-making. Patients were least worried about "communicating openly with doctors" (2.50, CI [1.97-3.04]) and "having access to the best medical care" (3.90, CI [3.28-4.61]). Caregiver reports were highly correlated to patients' (Spearman's ρ = 0.89) though noted significantly more worry about the possibility of dying and spending time in the hospital.

CONCLUSION

This large convenience sample demonstrates that AML patients have two principal worries: dying from their disease and suffering long-term side effects from treatment. To better foster patient-centered care, therapeutic decision-making and drug development should reflect the importance of both potential outcomes. Further work should explore interventions to address these worries.

Patient-Centered Insights on Treatment Decision Making and Living with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Other Hematologic Cancers

Expectations relating to treatment and survival, and factors influencing treatment decisions are not well understood in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia. This study analyzed combined findings from a targeted literature review with patient-reported information shared on YouTube to further understand patient perspectives in hematologic cancers and, in particular, acute myeloid leukemia. The targeted literature review included articles concerning patient (aged ≥ 18 years) experiences or perspectives in acute myeloid leukemia or other hematologic cancers. YouTube video selection criteria included patients (aged ≥ 60 years) with self-reported acute myeloid leukemia. In total, 26 articles (13 acute myeloid leukemia-specific and 14 other hematologic cancers, with one relevant to both populations) and 28 videos pertaining to ten unique patients/caregivers were identified. Key concepts reported by patients included the perceived value of survival for achieving personal and/or life milestones, the emotional/psychological distress of their diagnosis, and the uncertainties about life expectancy/prognosis. Effective therapies that could potentially delay progression and extend life were of great importance to patients; however, these were considered in terms of quality-of-life impact and disruption to daily life. Many patients expressed concerns regarding the lack of treatment options, the possibility of side effects, and how their diagnosis and treatment would affect relationships, daily lives, and ability to complete certain tasks. Both data sources yielded valuable and rich information on the patient experience and perceptions of hematologic cancers, in particular for acute myeloid leukemia, and its treatments. Further understanding of these insights could aid discussions between clinicians, patients, and their caregivers regarding treatment decisions, highlight outcomes of importance to patients in clinical studies, and ultimately, inform patient-focused drug development and evaluation.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Adult Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Leukaemia

PURPOSE

Knowledge about oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in adult patients with leukaemia is still limited. Accordingly, aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess OHRQoL and its associations to different parameters in adult patients with newly diagnosed acute leukaemia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants with first diagnosis of acute leukaemia were consecutively recruited in the Clinic of Hematology and Oncology of the University Medical Center Goettingen. OHRQoL was assessed using the German short form of oral health impact profile (OHIP-G14). Presence of oral initial symptoms, dental health (decayed- [D-T], missing- [M-T] and filled-teeth index [DMF-T]), dental behaviour and periodontal disease severity were assessed. For comparison, a healthy control group (HC) was recruited.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine patients with leukaemia and 38 HC were included. In the leukaemia group, a statistically significant and clinically relevant higher OHIP-sum score compared to HC was found (6.13 [3; 0-7] vs 0.87 [0; 0-2], p <0.01). The different subaspects of OHRQoL (patterns) 'oral function' and 'orofacial appearance' were statistically significantly worse in the leukaemia group (p <0.01). Time since diagnosis showed a clinically relevant association to the pattern 'psychosocial impact' (p = 0.06). Patients with oral initial symptoms had a statistically significantly worse OHIP-sum score (p <0.04, V = 0.775). DMF-T (p = 0.03, r = 0.242) and M-T (p = 0.03, r = 0.252) showed an association to OHIP sum score. Moreover, D-T (p = 0.03, r = 0.253) and M-T (p = 0.01, r = 0.296) were associated to orofacial appearance. Additionally, M-T showed an association to pattern 'oral function' (p = 0.01, r = 0.277).

CONCLUSION

Patients with newly diagnosed acute leukaemia show a reduced OHRQoL. This might be particularly caused by oral health situation, especially oral initial symptoms as well as missing teeth.

EQ-5D-Derived Health State Utility Values in Hematologic Malignancies: A Catalog of 796 Utilities Based on a Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

We performed a systematic review of health state utility values (HSUVs) obtained using the EQ-5D questionnaire for patients with hematologic malignancies.

METHODS

The following databases were searched up to September 2018: MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, and the EQ-5D publications database on the EuroQol website. Additional references were extracted from reviewed articles. Only studies presenting EQ-Index results were incorporated. In view of the heterogeneity across the included publications, we limited ourselves to a narrative synthesis of original HSUVs found.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine studies (described in 63 articles) met the inclusion criteria. Data from 21 635 respondents provided 796 HSUV estimates for hematologic malignancy patients. EQ-Index scores ranged from -0.025 to 0.980. The most represented area was multiple myeloma (4 studies, 11 112 patients, and 249 HSUVs). In clinical areas such as chronic myeloid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma, we described over 50 health utilities in each. In contrast, we identified only 13 HSUVs (based on 4 studies and the data of 166 patients) for Hodgkin lymphoma. Areas without EQ-5D-based health utilities comprised: polycythemia vera, primary myelofibrosis, essential thrombocythemia, mastocytosis, myeloid sarcoma, chronic myelomonocytic, eosinophilic leukemia, and neutrophilic leukemia.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a wide range of HSUVs available for hematologic cancer patients with different indications. The review provides a catalog of utility values for use in cost-effectiveness models for hematologic malignancies.

Core outcome set measurement for future clinical trials in acute myeloid leukemia: the HARMONY study protocol using a multi-stakeholder consensus-based Delphi process and a final consensus meeting

Background

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults and has an unacceptably low cure rate. In recent years, a number of new treatment strategies and compounds were developed for the treatment of AML. There were several randomized controlled clinical trials with the objective to improve patients’ management and patients’ outcome in AML. Unfortunately, these trials are not always directly comparable since they do not measure the same outcomes, and currently there are no core outcome sets that can be used to guide outcome selection and harmonization in this disease area. The HARMONY (Healthcare Alliance for Resourceful Medicine Offensive against Neoplasms in Hematology) Alliance is a public-private European network established in 2017 and currently includes 53 partners and 32 associated members from 22 countries. Amongst many other goals of the HARMONY Alliance, Work Package 2 focuses on defining outcomes that are relevant to each hematological malignancy. Accordingly, this pilot study will be performed to define a core outcome set in AML.

Methods

The pilot study will use a three-round Delphi survey and a final consensus meeting to define a core outcome set. Participants will be recruited from different stakeholder groups, including patients, clinicians, regulators and members of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. At the pre-Delphi stage, a literature research was conducted followed by several semi-structured interviews of clinical public and private key opinion leaders. Subsequently, the preliminary outcome list was discussed in several multi-stakeholder face-to-face meetings. The Delphi survey will reduce the preliminary outcome list to essential core outcomes. After completion of the last Delphi round, a final face-to-face meeting is planned to achieve consensus about the core outcome set in AML.

Discussion

As part of the HARMONY Alliance, the pilot Delphi aims to define a core outcome set in AML on the basis of a multi-stakeholder consensus. Such a core outcome set will help to allow consistent comparison of future clinical trials and real-world evidence research and ensures that appropriate outcomes valued by a range of stakeholders are measured within future trials.

Effects of a Mindfulness Intervention on Hospitalized Patients With Hematologic Malignancies and Their Caregivers

OBJECTIVES

To examine the effects of a mind-body intervention on the psychological distress of hospitalized patients with hematologic malignancies and their caregivers.

SAMPLE & SETTING

29 patients with hematologic malignancies and 5 caregivers were recruited from the bone marrow transplantation unit at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

METHODS & VARIABLES

After completing the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL) to rate their levels of psychological and physiologic distress and quality of life, participants were taught a mindfulness activity. Two weeks postintervention, participants completed the RSCL again, reported how often they practiced the activity, and answered qualitative questions regarding their experience.

RESULTS

Participants reported increased relaxation and improved sleep and showed interest in practicing mindfulness as a part of their treatment plan.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING

Nurses can help to alleviate symptoms of distress in patients with hematologic malignancies by integrating education on how to perform short and simple mindfulness activities into the care plan.

Temporal patterns and predictors of receiving no active treatment among older patients with acute myeloid leukemia in the United States: A population-level analysis

BACKGROUND

The majority of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are aged >65 years at the time of diagnosis and are not actively treated. The objective of the current study was to determine the prevalence, temporal trends, and factors associated with no active treatment (NAT) among older patients with AML in the United States.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data from 14,089 patients with AML residing in the United States who were diagnosed with AML at age ≥66 years during 2001 through 2013. NAT was defined as not receiving any chemotherapy, including hypomethylating agents. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze sociodemographic, clinical, and provider characteristics associated with NAT.

RESULTS

The percentage of patients with NAT decreased over time from 59.7% among patients diagnosed in 2001 to 42.8% among those diagnosed in 2013. The median overall survival for the entire cohort was 82 days from the time of diagnosis. Patients treated with NAT had worse survival compared with those receiving active treatment. Variables found to be associated with higher odds of NAT included older age, certain sociodemographic characteristics (household income within the lowest quartile, residence outside the Northeast region of the United States, and being unmarried), and clinical factors (≥3 comorbidities, the presence of mental disorders, recent hospitalization, and disability).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater than one-half of older patients with AML residing in the United States do not receive any active leukemia-directed therapy despite the availability of lower intensity therapies such as hypomethylating agents. Lack of active therapy receipt is associated with inferior survival. Identifying predictors of NAT might improve the quality of care and survival in this patient population, especially as novel therapeutic options with lower toxicity are becoming available.

Health state utilities associated with treatment options for acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

Aims: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment typically involves remission induction chemotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy. New treatments for AML have recently been introduced, including a chemotherapy formulation called CPX-351, which is administered via less time-intensive IV infusion than the standard "7 + 3" continuous infusion regimen of cytarabine plus an anthracycline. The purpose of this study was to estimate utilities that could be used in economic modeling of AML treatment. Materials and methods: In time trade-off interviews, participants from the UK general population valued 12 health states drafted based on literature and clinician interviews. To identify disutility associated with chemotherapy, two types of induction and four types of consolidation were added to an otherwise identical health state describing AML. The decrease in utility when adding these chemotherapy regimens represents the disutility of each regimen. Five additional health states were valued to estimate utilities associated with other AML treatments. Results: Two hundred participants completed interviews. Mean (SD) utilities were 0.55 (0.31) for pre-treatment AML and 0.66 (0.29) for AML in temporary remission. Adding any chemotherapy significantly decreased utility (p < 0.0001). Induction had a mean disutility of -0.11 with CPX-351 and -0.15 with 7 + 3. Mean disutility for consolidation ranged from -0.03 with outpatient CPX-351 to -0.11 with inpatient 5 + 2. Utilities are also reported for other AML treatments (e.g. transplant, low-intensity chemotherapy). Limitations: One limitation is that the differences in adverse event profiles between the treatment regimens were based on clinician opinion. Future use of CPX-351 in clinical trials or clinical settings will provide additional information on its adverse event profile. Conclusions: While all chemotherapy regimens were associated with disutility, regimens with shorter hospitalization and less time-intensive infusion were generally perceived as preferable. These utilities may be useful in cost-utility models comparing the value of AML treatments.

Real-World Impact of Physician and Patient Discordance on Health-Related Quality of Life in US Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Introduction

There is limited understanding concerning the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Due to an overlap of symptoms, it can be difficult to separate disease versus treatment-related effects. Study objectives were to understand the impact of factors that might influence patients’ HRQoL, assess the degree of concordance in symptom reporting by patients and physicians, and assess the impact of any discordance on HRQoL in AML patients.

Methods

Physicians in the USA captured demographics, current AML treatment and symptoms for 82 AML patients who completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu), 5-Dimension EuroQol Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) and Cancer Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (CTSQ). Effect size (ES) and clinically meaningful differences between AML subgroups were assessed, as was the impact of disagreement between patients and physicians regarding symptom recognition.

Results

Clinically meaningful lower overall FACT-Leu scores were observed for: relapsed/refractory versus non-relapsed/refractory AML patients (92.5 vs. 103.7; P = 0.09; ES = 0.439), hypomethylating agent (HMA) monotherapy versus other therapies in patients with low treatment intensity (89.9 vs. 112.9; P = 0.0021; ES = 0.971) and presence/absence of FLT3-ITD mutation (85.5 vs. 100; P = 0.148; ES = 0.816). Differences in health state were also clinically meaningful between patients with/without FLT3-ITD; EQ-5D-Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (47.6 vs. 63.7; P = 0.0428; ES = 0.816). Patients were more likely than physicians to report bruising (κ = 0.1292), fatigue (κ = 0.0836), bleeding (κ = 0.0177), weight loss (κ = 0.0821) and appetite loss (κ = − 0.0246). FACT-Leu was associated with patient-physician discordance on bleeding (difference − 14.12; P = 0.046), weight loss (− 21.22; P = 0.001) and appetite loss (− 12.58; P = 0.027).

Conclusions

HRQoL is generally low for AML patients, especially for particular subgroups. Discordance in symptom reporting between patients and physicians was common and associated with further negative impacts on HRQoL. There may be many reasons for this but better communication between physicians and patients may lead to shared objectives and improvement in patients’ HRQoL.

Funding

Astellas Pharma, Inc.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s40487-019-0094-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A real-world, cross-sectional, community survey of symptoms and health-related quality of life of adults with acute myeloid leukemia

Aim: We used Adelphi Real World Disease-Specific Programme data to characterize adults with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Materials & methods: Community-practice hematologists/oncologists completed patient record forms for their regular AML patients. Patients were invited to complete patient self-completion forms including 3-Level EuroQol 5-Dimensions (EQ-5D-3L) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Leukemia (FACT-Leu) questionnaires. Results: Physicians provided patient record forms for 389 patients (339 newly diagnosed, 50 relapsed/refractory); 68 patients completed patient self-completion forms. Mean EQ-5D visual-analog scale and index and FACT-General scores were significantly lower than US population norms (p < 0.0001); health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores were generally lower than 11 other cancers. Conclusion: HRQoL impairment is grave in AML. Efforts are needed to improve HRQoL in affected patients.

Developing an instrument to assess patient preferences for benefits and risks of treating acute myeloid leukemia to promote patient-focused drug development

Objective Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a progressive blood cancer with few effective treatment options. As part of a patient-focused drug development (PFDD) initiative led by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), this study sought to use a community-centered approach to develop and pilot an instrument to measure patient preferences for the benefits and risks of treating AML. Methods Instrument development was informed by a literature review, engagement with expert stakeholders (n = 12), engagement with community stakeholders, and pre-testing. A discrete-choice experiment (DCE), in which participants made choices between 16 pairs of hypothetical treatments, was developed with five attributes: event-free survival, complete remission, time in hospital, short-term side-effects, and long-term side-effects. A pilot test was conducted and analyzed using conditional logistic regression. Results are presented using relative attribute importance (RAI) scores. Results Patients with AML and caregivers were engaged in developing (n = 15), pre-testing (n = 13), and pilot testing (n = 26) the instrument. The pilot included patients with AML (n = 18) and caregivers of living or deceased patients with AML (n = 8). Participants had a mean age of 50 years (range =24-81), and were mostly college educated (n = 22), privately insured (n = 21), and employed (n = 13). Based on the DCE, complete remission was identified as the most important attribute (RAI =10), followed by event-free survival (3.7), time in hospital (2.8), long-term side-effects (2.3), and short-term side-effects (2.1). Conclusion The mixed-methods approach to PFDD was welcomed by all stakeholders and there was strong endorsement to implement this DCE as part of a national survey. Key points for decision makers The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) initiated an independent effort to promote patient-focused drug development (PFDD). This study presents the development and piloting of a preference study as a first step in this initiative. Results of this pilot study were used to guide a PFDD meeting to discuss the lived experience of patients and caregivers affected by AML. Productive engagement by all patients, caregivers, and stakeholders throughout the process resulted in strong endorsement of the project's approach and recognition of the need to conduct a national study.

Patients' quality of life during active cancer treatment: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Patients' quality of life has become a major objective of care in oncology. At the same time, it has become the object of increasing interest by researchers, working with both quantitative and qualitative methods. Progress in oncology has enabled more patients to survive longer, so that cancer is increasingly often a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment that can have negative effects on patients' quality of daily life. Nonetheless, no qualitative study has explored what patients report affects their quality of daily life during the treatment period. This study is intended to fill this gap.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter qualitative study based on 30 semi-structured interviews. Participants, purposively selected until data saturation, had diverse types of cancer and had started treatment at least 6 months before interview. Data were examined by thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Our analysis found two themes: (1) what negatively affected for patient's quality of daily life during the treatment period, a question to which patients responded by talking only about the side effects of treatment; and (2) what positively affected their quality of daily life during the treatment period with three sub-themes: (i) The interest in having -investing in - a support object that can be defined as an object, a relationship or an activity particularly invested by the patients which makes them feel good and makes the cancer and its treatment bearable, (ii)The subjective perception of the efficacy of the antitumor treatment and (iii) the positive effects of relationships, with friends and family, and also with their physician.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients must be involved in their care if they are to be able to bear their course of treatment and find ways to endure the difficult experience of cancer care. The support object represents an important therapeutic lever that can be used by their oncologists. They should be interested in their support objects, in order to support the patients in this investment and to help them to maintain it throughout the health care pathway. Furthermore, showing interest in this topic, important to the patient, could improve the physician-patient relation without using up very much of the physician's time.

Acute myelogenous leukemia in adolescents and young adults

The incidence of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) increases progressively with age. Favorable genetic mutations are most prevalent in children, and unfavorable profiles increase proportionately in adolescents and young adults (AYA) and into later adulthood. Survival rates of AYA have improved over recent decades to 50-60%, but their accrual to clinical trials remains poor. In contrast to AYA with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the prognostic benefit for AYA with AML enrolled in pediatric compared with adult trials is minor and only seen when different protocols are used. The distinctive needs of AYA, including intensive psychological services, call for their treatment within specialized centers that offer complex supportive care.

Systematic reviews of economic burden and health-related quality of life in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare hematologic malignancy largely affecting older adults. Comorbidities may compromise fitness and eligibility for high-intensity chemotherapy (HIC). This study presents the results of two systematic reviews (SRs) assessing (1) the impact of AML and current treatments on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and (2) the economic burden and cost drivers of AML in patients who are ineligible for HIC.

METHODS

Electronic searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE, EconLit, Cochrane library) were supplemented with manual searching of conference, utility, and HTA databases. All studies reporting HRQoL or economic data for patients with AML who were ineligible for HIC were included.

RESULTS

The HRQoL SR included ten studies. Patients with AML have lower baseline HRQoL than other cancer patients or the general population, and those receiving lower intensity treatment have lower HRQoL than those eligible for HIC. Low baseline HRQoL predicts poor outcomes, and treatment had variable effects on HRQoL. The economic burden SR included nine studies. Medical costs varied widely, reflecting the heterogeneity of AML. Hospitalization is a key cost driver in AML treatment but was largely not considered in cost studies. Medical resource utilization comprised drug acquisition, drug administration, disease monitoring tests, transfusions, adverse event management, supportive care/monitoring costs and terminal care.

CONCLUSION

As new drugs emerge that extend survival, assessment of HRQoL will be important to evaluate the quality of that survival. Cost data, driven by transfusions and hospitalization, will be important to evaluate the economic value of new treatments.

Actigraphy assessment of sleep quality among patients with acute myeloid leukaemia during induction chemotherapy

Objectives

Patients receiving induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) anecdotally describe poor sleep, but sleep disturbances have not been well-characterised in this population. We aimed to test the feasibility of measuring sleep quality in AML inpatients using a wearable actigraphy device.

Methods

Using the Actigraph GT3X ‘watch’, we assessed the total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, number of awakenings after sleep onset and sleep efficiency for inpatients with AML receiving induction chemotherapy. We assessed patient self-reported sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Results

Of the 12 patients enrolled, 11 completed all actigraphy and PSQI assessments, demonstrating feasibility. Patients wore the Actigraph device for a mean (SD) of 15.92 (8.3) days, and actigraphy measures suggested poor sleep. Patients had a median average awakening length of 6.92 min, a median number of awakenings after sleep onset of 4 and a median sleep onset latency of 10.8 min. Actual median sleep efficiency (0.91) was high, suggesting that patients’ poor sleep was not due to insomnia but perhaps due to interruptions, such as administration of medications, lab draws and vital sign measurements.

Conclusions

Collection of sleep quality data among inpatients with AML via a wearable actigraphy device is feasible. AML inpatients appear to have poor sleep quality and quantity, suggesting that sleep issues represent an area of unmet supportive care needs in AML. Further research in this areas is needed to inform the development of interventions to improve sleep duration and quality in hospitalised patients with AML.

Systematic review of health state utility values for acute myeloid leukemia

Background

Cost-utility analyses for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) require health state utility values (HSUVs) in order to calculate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for each health state.

Aim

This study reviewed AML-related HSUVs that could be used in economic evaluation studies.

Materials and methods

EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases were searched from January 2000 to November 2016 for relevant studies that reported quality of life (QoL) and HSUVs in AML. Identified relevant European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 values were mapped to HSUVs. HSUVs for each health state in the AML treatment pathway were then collated.

Results

Ten relevant studies were identified. Six were cost-effectiveness analyses utilizing HSUVs for calculation of QALYs, one was an effectiveness analysis (incremental QALY), and two were QoL studies reporting AML-specific utilities. An additional study reported QoL for patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (SCT). Since no study reported HSUVs for relapse, values from a study of secondary AML patients who failed prior treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome were used. Where multiple HSUVs were available, collected values were given priority over assumed values. AML treatment (induction, consolidation, or SCT) was associated with decreased HSUV, while post-treatment complete remission led to increased HSUV.

Conclusion

There are some methodologically robust HSUVs that can be directly used in economic evaluations for AML. Careful interpretation is advised considering significant differences in methodologies and patient population (inclusion, size). We need to develop HSUVs with larger-sized studies, making greater use of condition-specific data.