Long-term effects after stem cell transplantation identified: design of the MOSA study

OBJECTIVE: The MOSA study (Maastricht Observational study of late effects after Stem cell trAnsplantation) aims to study the prevalence of adverse health effects in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) survivors compared to a matched cohort, representing the general population.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The MOSA study is a matched cohort study, nested within a large prospective cohort, The Maastricht Study. Participants of The Maastricht Study serve as a reference group matched on age, sex and education to compare MOSA participants to the general population. In both studies, the same study protocol and extensive phenotyping measurements are used.

RESULTS: HCT survivors: 539 survivors were invited of which, so far 123 (23%) participants completed the study assessments. Data will be analyzed and published separately.

REFERENCE GROUP: For each MOSA participant, four reference cases were matched. After matching, both groups are comparable with respect to age, sex and education.

CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study conducting such detailed phenotyping in HCT survivors. Comparison with a large reference group provides essential information about late effects of HCT and associated risk factors. This may improve screening and prevention strategies, potentially leading to a positive impact on morbidity, mortality and quality of life.