Evaluation of Subclinical Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: An Echocardiography Study

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially curative procedure that is used in various hematological malignancies. However, among an increasing number of HSCT, the amount of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is increasing as well. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of subclinical CTRCD in HSCT patients 12 months after HSCT and to assess the impact of clinical factors on the development of CTRCD. Material and Methods: We included 55 patients who underwent autologous or allogeneic HSCT. The patients were assessed using an echocardiography method before and 12 months after a HSCT procedure. Results: Our study revealed that during the 12-month follow-up period, asymptomatic CTRCD was observed in 15 patients (27.3%), 6 experienced moderate CTRCD, and 9 experienced mild CTRCD. Patients with previous use of anthracyclines tended to have CTRCD more often: nine patients (60%) in the CTRCD group and nine patients (22.5%) in non-CTRCD group. Patients who received the BEAM regimen for conditioning also experienced CTRCD more often: five patients (33.3%) in CTRCD group vs. two patients (5%) in the non-CTRCD group. Conclusions: Our study showed that asymptomatic CTRCD was found in 27.3% of the patients 12 months after HSCT. The BEAM chemotherapy conditioning protocol following prior anthracycline use were identified as factors contributing to the development of CTRCD.