Who can enter
- Children and adults who had an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) for myelodysplastic syndrome, leukemia or lymphoma at age less than 18 years (SCT survivors)
- In follow-up at the LATER outpatient clinic for late effects after SCT
Goal
The goal of this study is to discover which SCT survivors have an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, vascular damage and accelerated aging after SCT. Also, we want to investigate whether current lifestyle and previous complications of SCT increases this risk.
Background
A stem cell transplantation (SCT) is an intensive treatment that causes damage to various tissues and may thus lead to problems such as vascular damage and graft-versus-host-disease (transplant disease). This tissue damage can increase the risk of developing chronic health conditions (late effects). Often, this has a negative effect on the quality of life of the survivor.
Previous studies showed that patients who underwent an SCT are at increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome (characterized by overweight, hypertension, elevated blood glucose and cholesterol) and vascular damage, and suggested that these patients may show accelerated aging.
In this study we want to investigate which patients have an increased risk for these late effects. And also whether in the future we may have possibilities to intervene, e.g. with modifications in lifestyle or medication.
With the results, we hope to improve the quality of life of the SCT survivors.