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Prospective computerized monitoring of cognitive functioning before and after blood and marrow transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 52, pages 1215–1217 (2017)Cite this article

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Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) places patients at risk of cognitive impairment secondary to irradiation,1 chemotherapy,2 and GvHD prophylaxis and treatment.3 Though most patients experiencing cognitive impairment recover to pre-transplant levels within 12 months, up to 51% experience continued impairment in at least one domain at 12 months post transplant.3 Cognitive compromise may affect treatment adherence and quality of life, making early identification crucial for implementing timely intervention. Currently, no reliable, time-efficient assessment tool for repeated monitoring of cognitive functioning has been validated in HCT samples.

The primary aim of this pilot study was to document the feasibility of implementing repeated neurocognitive screenings using a brief computerized assessment (CogState) via test completion rates and patient and provider reports. Secondary aims were to delineate cognitive performance relative to normative data, explore cognitive changes over time and compare cognitive performance of patients receiving allogeneic versus autologous transplants.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Arshdeep Kaur, Lindsey Baker, Corey Stanton, Corey Spickler, and Kelsey Nichols who assisted in completing the neuropsychological evaluations and database management integral to this study. We thank the nurse coordinators in the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at the University of Michigan for their assistance with consenting patients. Of note, DRC is now at the University of Utah and CLK is now at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Neuropsychology Section, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    K L Votruba & B Giordani

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    F Hoodin

  3. Department of Psychology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA

    F Hoodin & R Kentor

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    D R Couriel

  5. Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    C L Kitko

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  1. K L Votruba
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  2. F Hoodin
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  3. B Giordani
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  4. R Kentor
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  5. D R Couriel
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  6. C L Kitko
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Correspondence to K L Votruba.

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Votruba, K., Hoodin, F., Giordani, B. et al. Prospective computerized monitoring of cognitive functioning before and after blood and marrow transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 52, 1215–1217 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2017.105

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