Intensive patient's care program reduces anxiety and depression as well as improves overall survival in de novo acute myelocytic leukemia patients who underwent chemotherapy: a randomized, controlled study

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of intensive patient's care program (IPCP) on anxiety, depression and survival profiles in de novo acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 220 de novo AML patients underwent chemotherapy were randomly allocated to IPCP or control group as 1: 1 ratio. In the randomized-controlled stage, IPCP group received IPCP and usual care for 12 months while control group only received usual care. Anxiety and depression were assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety/Depression Scale (SAS/SDS). Patients were followed up in the long-term follow-up stage (median: 20.0 months), and event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Results: HADS-Anxiety (HADS-A) score, anxiety rate and anxiety severity were deceased at M12, and HADS-A score change (M12-M0) was larger in IPCP group compared with control group. Meanwhile, SAS score at M6, M9 and M12 were reduced in IPCP group compared to control group. Regarding depression, HADS-Depression (HADS-D) score at M12 was lower, and HADS-D/SDS score change (M12-M0) was greater in IPCP group compared with control group. Additionally, IPCP group illustrated a prolonged OS compared to control group, and patients with sustained depression by HADS-D/SDS score disclosed a worse OS compared with non-sustained depression patients. Conclusions: In conclusion, IPCP decreases anxiety and depression as well as improves OS in de novo AML patients receiving chemotherapy.