Here is how I would write that expression in Hy.

    (-> 1 (+ 3) (+ 88) (/ 2) (- 8))

Here is how I would write the assignment, using my definition of def2.

    (defmacro def2 [value variable] `(def ~variable ~value))
    (-> 1 (+ 3) (+ 88) (/ 2) (- 8) (def2 result))