Effectiveness of Physical Exercise on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: An Umbrella Review.

Abstract

Objectives: To systematically evaluate and synthesize the available evidence regarding whether physical exercise is effective on improving outcomes in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Study design: There were altogether 10 databases adopted for retrieving systematic reviews till March 2024. The Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews II (AMSTAR-II) statement and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system were employed for assessing, summarizing, and grading the evidence. Study duplication was measured by the corrected covered area.

Results: There were 10 studies enrolled, and they had poor level of evidence and overall methodological quality, among which, eight had extremely low methodological quality, whereas two reviews had low methodological quality. We then assessed the evidence quality of 41 primary outcome measures; as a result, 17, 14, and 10 pieces of evidence were rated as moderate, low, and critically low quality separately.

Conclusions: Physical exercise benefits HSCT patients by improving quality of life and reducing fatigue. Evidence quality is moderate to critically low, requiring cautious interpretation.

Implications for nursing practice: Physical exercise helps to reduce fatigue, improving quality of life, and should be included in the standard of care for patients undergoing HSCT.