Fatigue, Muscle Oxygen Consumption and Blood Flow to the Skeletal Muscle After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences in fatigue to those in muscle oxygen consumption and blood flow to the skeletal muscles before and after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). This study included 25 male patients who had received allo-HSCT between November 2009 and August 2012. Fatigue was assessed by using the Piper fatigue scale. Muscle oxygen consumption, shown by the change in deoxyhemoglobin (ΔHHb), and blood flow to the skeletal muscle, shown by the change in total hemoglobin (ΔtHb), were measured non-invasively in the tibialis anterior muscle during endurance exercise using near-infrared spectroscopy. ΔHHb and ΔtHb were significantly lower following allo-HSCT than before it (p < 0.05). Before allo-HSCT, no relationship was observed between fatigue and either ΔHHb or ΔtHb. However, after allo-HSCT, a significant relationship was found between fatigue and ΔHHb (p < 0.05). Patients experience decreased muscle oxygen consumption and blood flow to skeletal muscles after allo-HSCT. Furthermore, fatigue may have a relationship with decreased muscle oxygen consumption in patients after allo-HSCT. Rehabilitation staff, nurses, and physicians should recognise both decreases in muscle oxygen consumption and blood flow in patients who have undergone allo-HSCT, and physiotherapists may need to promote muscle oxidative metabolism through exercise in order to maintain muscle strength.