Prehabilitation to Improve Frailty, Function, and Quality of Life in Candidates for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Summary

Candidates for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) frequently experience declines in strength, physical function, and quality of life before the procedure. Many also present fatigue, limitations in daily activities, and an increased risk of complications during and after hospitalization. Optimizing physical condition before transplantation may improve post-procedure recovery.

This study will evaluate whether a prehabilitation program improves physical function, frailty, and quality of life in adults preparing for HSCT. The intervention consists of supervised exercise, education, and activities designed to enhance endurance and functional capacity. Although prehabilitation has shown benefits in other oncologic populations, it has been minimally studied in HSCT candidates, and no structured programs have been evaluated in Chile.

A total of 68 adults will be randomly assigned to a prehabilitation group or a usual-care control group. The prehabilitation group will receive a personalized program including aerobic and resistance exercise, stretching, balance training, respiratory exercises, and education on healthy behaviors, delivered through a hybrid model of in-person and remote sessions. Occupational therapy will also be provided to support functional and cognitive abilities. The control group will continue with standard medical care.

Baseline and post-intervention assessments will include measures of strength, frailty, fatigue, balance, cognitive function, daily activities, and quality of life. Post-transplant outcomes such as hospital length of stay, complications, and readmissions within three months will also be recorded. Feasibility, adherence, satisfaction, and adverse events will be evaluated.

Findings from this trial may inform the development of structured prehabilitation programs for HSCT candidates and support the implementation of evidence-based supportive care strategies in hematologic oncology.

Conditions

• Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)

Interventions

OTHER

Multimodal Prehabilitation

In-Person Sessions: Supervised by a cancer-specialized physiotherapist. Includes: * Aerobic exercise: 20-25 min. at moderate intensity (BORG 4-6 or 60-80% HRmax). * Resistance training: 20-25 min. at 10-12 RM, using dumbbells or resistance bands. * Flexibility or balance training: 5 minutes. * Warm-up and cool-down: 5 minutes each. Sessions last 1-1.5 hours, 2-3 times/week, 15-18 sessions Education on healthy habits, smoking and alcohol cessation, sleep hygiene, and physical activity. Daily home-exercise logs and telephone supervision will support adherence. Remote Sessions: (Video call/Zoom, 45-60 min): Mixed exercises, breathing techniques, and incentive spirometry. Occupational Therapy Intervention * cognitive training (memory, attention, executive function), * upper limb functional training (fine/gross motor skills, bilateral coordination, prehension) * ADL/IADL training * energy-conservation techniques and joint-protection strategies. 6-8 sessions, 30-45 min.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Católica del Maule

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Chile

  collaborator OTHER

• Hospital del Salvador

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Luz Alejandra Lorca, Master · Hospital del Salvador

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-12-26

Primary Completion

2026-05-29

Completion

2026-06-30

Countries

• Chile

Study Locations