Effects of a home-based exercise program on physical capacity and fatigue in patients with low to intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndrome—a pilot study

• Home-based program with alternating strength and endurance exercises was tested.
• eleven out of fifteen patients completed the program i.e. more than 75% of sessions.
• Improvement of physical capacity and no adverse events were observed after 12 weeks.
• Level of fatigue did not significantly change during intervention and follow-up.

IntroductionFatigue is a frequent and disabling symptom in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). There is evidence for the benefit of exercise on fatigue in haematological malignancies, but clinical trials targeting patients with MDS do not exist.MethodsA prospective, non-randomized feasibility trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of a home-based exercise intervention in patients with MDS. Exercise schedule contained endurance or strength training in daily turns over 12 weeks. Outcome measures included 6-min walking distance (6-MWD), an ergometer check, strength measurement of lower limb, abdomen and back, quality of life and fatigue.ResultsTwenty-one patients (13 male, 8 female) were included. Median age was 66 years (range 29–87). Fifteen patients (71%) continued the program till week 12 (T1), of whom eleven patients met criteria for program completion. There were no adverse events reported due to the intervention. 6-MWD significantly improved from 580 m at T0 to 645 m at T1 (p < 0.05). Fatigue scores did not significantly change over time (MFI: 12.8 vs. 12.3 vs. 11.9; QLQ-C30 fatigue scale: 48.2 vs. 46.7 vs. 47.4).ConclusionThese data provide evidence that an unsupervised outpatient exercise program is feasible and can improve physical capacity. Randomized, controlled studies implementing these interventions are warranted.