Functional Outcomes of Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation in Patients With Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Abstract

Background: Growing numbers of allogeneic stem cell transplants and improved posttransplant care have led to an increase of individuals with chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Although cGVHD leads to functional impairment for many, there is limited literature regarding the benefits of acute inpatient rehabilitation for patients with cGVHD. Objective: To assess Functional Independence Measure (FIM) outcomes of patients with cGVHD during acute inpatient rehabilitation and to compare inpatient rehabilitation outcomes with patients with burn injuries, a rehabilitation patient population with similar comorbidities. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Acute rehabilitation center at a large academic medical center. Patients (or Participants): A total of 37 adult patients with cGVHD and 30 with burn injuries admitted to inpatient rehabilitation from 2010 to 2015. Methods or Interventions: Linear regression analysis to evaluate group (cGVHD versus burn) differences in functional gains. Effect size and minimal detectable change at the 90% confidence level (MDC90) were used to evaluate change in FIM outcomes. Main Outcome Measurements: Total FIM gain, motor FIM gain, and FIM efficiency. Results: Patients with cGVHD had statistically significant lower functional gains than patients with burn injuries, with an average of 11.66 fewer total FIM points (P ≤.001), 10.54 fewer motor FIM points (P =.01), and 2.45 units less of FIM efficiency (P =.01). At the time of discharge, 7 (18%) patients with cGVHD exceeded the MDC90 values for total FIM gain versus 9 (30%) patients with burn injuries (P =.26). Eight (21%) patients with cGVHD exceeded the MDC90 for motor FIM gain versus 13 (43%) patients with burn injuries (P =.048). Effect sizes for patients with cGVHD and with burn injury were moderate to large, respectively, with patients with burn injuries having nearly twice the magnitude of gains as patients with cGVHD. Conclusions: Despite achieving more modest functional gains than patients with burn injuries, patients with cGVHD improved in function after acute inpatient rehabilitation. If replicated in larger studies, patients with functional impairment from cGVHD can be considered for inpatient rehabilitation. Future work should also determine minimal clinically important differences in function gain from inpatient rehabilitation for patients with cGVHD. Level of Evidence: II