In cooperation with the Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, the Department of Internal Medicine V (Heidelberg University Hospital), the Institute of Sports and Sports Science (Heidleberg University) and the German Clinic for Diagnostics ("Deutsche Klinik für Diagnostik, DKD"), Wiesbaden.

Before, during, and after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), patients experience considerable physical and psychologic distress. Besides graft-versus-host disease and infections, reduced physical performance and high levels of fatigue affect patients' quality of life. This multicenter randomized controlled trial examined the effects of a partly self-administered exercise intervention before, during, and after allo-HSCT on these side effects. After randomization to an exercise and a social contact control group 105 patients trained in a home-based setting before hospital admission, during inpatient treatment and a 6- to 8-week period after discharge. 

Fatigue, physical performance, quality of life, and physical/psychologic distress were measured by standardized instruments at baseline, admission to, and discharge from hospital and 6 to 8 weeks after discharge. The exercise group showed significantly improvement in fatigue scores (up to 15% improvement in exercise group vs up to 28% deterioration in control; P<.01-.03), physical fitness/functioning (P=.02-.03) and global distress (P=.03). All effects were at least detectable at one assessment time point after hospitalization or repeatedly. Physical fitness correlated significantly with all reported symptoms/variables. In conclusion, this partly supervised exercise intervention is beneficial for patients undergoing allo-HSCT.

Wiskemann J, Dreger P, Schwerdtfeger R, Bondong A, Huber G, Kleindienst N, Ulrich CM, Bohus M (2011). Effects of a partly self-administered exercise program before, during, and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Blood, 117(9):2604-2613.

Wiskemann J, Huber G (2008). Psychophysische Konstitution von Patienten im Verlauf der hämatopoietischen Stammzelltransplantation: Ansatzpunkte für die Sport- und Bewegungstherapie. In M. Knoll & A. Woll (Hrsg.), Sport und Gesundheit in der Lebensspanne. Schriften der Deutschen Vereinigung für Sportwissenschaft 174: 355-361. Hamburg: Czwalina.

Wiskemann J, Bohus M (2009). Effekte eines Kraft- und Ausdauertrainings (KAT) auf die körperliche Leistungsfähigkeit und den Fatiguestatus bei Patienten im Kontext der allogenen hämatopoietischen Stammzelltransplantation. Deutsche Zeitschrift für Sportmedizin 60 (7-8): 196.

Wiskemann J, Dreger P, Schwerdtfeger R, Bondong A, Bohus M (2009). Physical Exercise as adjuvant therapy for patients before, during and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Onkologie 32 (suppl 4): 151.

PD Dr. Joachim Wiskemann
Phone: +49 6221 56-5904
E-mail: joachim.wiskemann(at)nct-heidelberg.de