Pilot Testing of Build StaMINA: A Tailored Physical Activity Program for Adults Receiving Treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Background: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive and often debilitating cancer for adults across the treatment trajectory. Patients experience frequent hospitalization, sedentariness, and negative sequelae including physical dysfunction and symptoms, which increase their risk for adverse events and mortality.

Objective: To test the preliminary efficacy of a tailored physical activity (PA) program.

Methods: This is a 2-group randomized controlled trial to explore the preliminary effects of a home-based tailored PA program versus attention control. The intervention includes PA across all physical domains important for independence. Assessments included physical function (6-Minute Walk Distance, primary), cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and patient-reported symptoms (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) at baseline and 6 and 12 weeks.

Results: Forty-six adults with AML were randomized into intervention (n = 22) and control (n = 24). Participants had a mean age of 58 years. No adverse events were reported. We observed a 22% attrition and 83% adherence to the intervention. Clinically significant increases in 6-Minute Walk Distance (mean, 49.78 ± 98.9 vs 3.7 ± 155.1 m) and mean scores for cognition (3.2 [9.9] vs -0.7 [9.7]), depression (-5.1 [12.9] vs -1.8 [7.7]), and self-efficacy (3.7 [8.0] vs 1.4 [7.2]) from baseline to 12 weeks were found in the intervention group versus control group.

Conclusions: These findings support safety, feasibility, and further testing of this intervention in a larger trial powered to evaluate efficacy of this tailored PA intervention to support adult AML survivors during treatment.

Implications For Practice: This tailored intervention has the potential to support patients with AML and manage common sequelae across the treatment trajectory.