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World J Stem Cells. Oct 26, 2021; 13(10): 1530-1548
Published online Oct 26, 2021. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i10.1530
Overview of nutritional approach in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: COVID-19 update
Gamze Akbulut, Ozge Yesildemir
Gamze Akbulut, Ozge Yesildemir, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ankara 06490, Turkey
Author contributions: Akbulut G and Yesildemir O designed of the work, drafted the article; Yesildemir O took responsibility for scanning an extensive literature; Akbulut G re-evaluated the study after reporting; all authors approved final version to be published.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Authors declare no conflict of interests for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Gamze Akbulut, PhD, Professor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gazi University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Emek Mahallesi Bişkek Cad. 6. Cad. (eski 81. sokak) No. 2, Ankara 06490, Turkey. gakbulut@gazi.edu.tr
Received: January 4, 2021
Peer-review started: January 4, 2021
First decision: July 18, 2021
Revised: July 27, 2021
Accepted: August 30, 2021
Article in press: August 30, 2021
Published online: October 26, 2021
Processing time: 294 Days and 16.9 Hours
Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the newly discovered SARS-CoV-2. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a high-risk procedure. The novelty of COVID-19 has created more uncertainty during all phases of HSCT. It is thought that HSCT patients taking immunosuppressive agents are more likely to contract COVID-19 than healthy individuals are. Appropriate care precautions should be taken with patients undergoing HSCT to minimize the risk of COVID-19, and appropriate treatment methods must be followed in patients infected with COVID-19. Malnutrition has become a significant problem in HSCT patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The causes of malnutrition in HSCT patients are multifactorial. However, the most important reason is the decrease in energy and nutrient intake. The HSCT procedure can lead to many complications such as dysgeusia, mucositis, diarrhea, constipation, xerostomia and vomiting/nausea. Improving the nutritional status of HSCT patients by managing each of these special complications with an appropriate nutritional approach is essential for successful engraftment. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the specific complications affecting the nutritional status of HSCT patients and their nutritional approach during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; Nutrition; Nutritional approach

Core tip: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a high-risk procedure due to the presence of initial hematological malignancies and the high risk of complications. The novelty of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), lack of literature and lack of antiviral agents leads to more uncertainty and an increased risk in HSCT procedures. It is important to protect HSCT patients from COVID-19 infection. Malnutrition is another important problem in HSCT patients. A proper nutritional approach is important in all phases of the HSCT procedure. Therefore, professional intervention with multidisciplinary nutrition support teams is indispensable.