Multicenter randomized trial of inpatient palliative care intervention for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Patients undergoing autologous or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) experience physical and psychosocial symptoms. A randomized trial at thee centers in the USA evaluated inpatient palliative care (PC) by PC clinicians twice weekly during HSCT hospitalization versus usual care. At two weeks, PC patients reported better quality of life (p<0.001), lower depression (p=0.026), and fewer PTSD symptoms (p=0.046), whereas the intervention did not improve anxiety. PC patients reported a steeper decline in PTSD symptoms over 6 months post-HSCT. The authors conclude that PC led to substantial improvements in QOL, depression, and PTSD symptoms.