Predictors of subjective fatigue in chronic gastrointestinal disease

Comparative characteristics of fatigue in irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Fatigue is a common symptom in both irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aimed to distinguish fatigue characteristics in IBS and IBD, two functional and organic disorders.

METHODS

We systematically searched the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases from inception to June 30, 2023, and conducted a meta-analysis to generate precise estimates and 95% confidence intervals. The analyses were stratified by fatigue type, severity, sex, disease phase, and comorbidities, and study quality was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).

RESULTS

Our analysis included 74 data (13 IBS, 31 CD, 30 UC) encompassing 16,689 participants (6484 males, 7402 females, and 2803 unknown). Overall, fatigue prevalence trended higher in IBS (54.5% [95%CI, 44.5-64.6]), followed by CD (49.8% [95%CI, 44.0-55.5]) and UC (43.6% [95%CI, 38.5-48.7]). This pattern persisted across sub-analyses, including general fatigue (63.4% vs. 51.3% vs. 45.3%) and moderate to severe fatigue (73.8% vs. 59.5% vs. 52.7%) for IBS, CD, and UC, respectively. Female predominance was observed in all three diseases (odds ratio: 1.5 in IBS and CD, 1.8 in UC). Fatigue prevalence significantly varied between disease phases (active vs. remission) in CD (61.3% vs. 36.3%) and UC (53.8% vs. 32.6%). Anemia, anxiety/depression, and/or IBS-like symptoms also contributed to fatigue in CD and UC.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first extensive comparison of fatigue prevalence and features in IBS, CD, and UC. The findings offer valuable insights for treatment and management, aiding our understanding of functional and organic diseases.

Management of Sleep and Fatigue in Gastrointestinal Patients

Sleep is an essential physiologic process, and unfortunately, people with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions are more likely than people in the general population to experience poor sleep quality, sleep disorders, and fatigue. Herein, we present information on common sleep disorders, fatigue, and data on these problems in various GI populations. We also discuss several treatments for sleep concerns and emerging research on the use of these treatments in GI populations. Cases that illustrate the GI/sleep relationship are presented, in addition to guidance for your own practice and cultural considerations.

Review article: Physical and psychological comorbidities associated with irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders encountered by physicians in primary and secondary care. Patients with IBS commonly present with various extraintestinal complaints, which account for a substantial clinical and economic burden. The common extraintestinal comorbidities associated with IBS include anxiety, depression, somatisation, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pelvic pain, interstitial cystitis, sexual dysfunction and sleep disturbance. The presence of comorbidity in IBS poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge with patients frequently undergoing unnecessary investigations and interventions, including surgery. This review discusses the different physical and psychological comorbidities associated with IBS, the shared pathophysiological mechanisms and potential management strategies.

Relationships Between Abdominal Pain and Fatigue With Psychological Distress as a Mediator in Women With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Women with irritable bowel syndrome often report fatigue, along with abdominal pain and psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety). There is little information about the relationships among these symptoms. Using a secondary data analysis (N = 356), we examined the relationship between abdominal pain and fatigue and whether psychological distress mediates the effect of abdominal pain on fatigue in both across women and within woman with irritable bowel syndrome. Data gathered through a 28-day diary were analyzed with linear regressions. The across-women and within-woman relationships among same-day abdominal pain, fatigue, and psychological distress were examined. Within-woman relationships were also examined for directionality among symptoms (i.e., prior-day abdominal pain predicts next-day fatigue and prior-day fatigue predicts next-day abdominal pain). In across-women and within-woman analyses on the same day, abdominal pain and fatigue were positively correlated. In within-woman analyses, abdominal pain predicted next-day fatigue, but fatigue did not predict next-day pain. In across-women and within-woman analyses, psychological distress partially mediated the effects of abdominal pain on fatigue. Symptom management incorporating strategies to decrease both abdominal pain and psychological distress are likely to reduce fatigue. Nursing interventions, such as self-management skills to reduce abdominal pain and psychological distress, may have the added benefit of reducing fatigue in irritable bowel syndrome.

The relationship between the symptom of fatigue and the functioning of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases after surgery

Introduction

The occurrence of fatigue in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is influenced by pain, frequent bowel movements, stress associated with symptoms and time of their occurrence reaction of surroundings, fear for their own health, sleep disturbances, side effects of pharmacological treatment, physical and mental exhaustion, hindered social contacts and difficulties at work.

Aim

To evaluate the fatigue and the assessment of functioning of patients with IBD, who were treated surgically.

Material and methods

To evaluate the functioning of patients, a Polish version of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire was used. To evaluate the occurrence of fatigue in studied subjects, a Polish version of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy – Fatigue Scale was used. The activity of disease was evaluated with the use of the Crohn’s Disease Activity Index for patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and the Clinical Activity Index for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

Results

Before surgery, there was no significant difference between CD and UC patients, with regard to the mean FACIT-F (28.76 for CD and 28.76 for UC, p = 0.72). Also, after surgery, there was no significant difference between CD and UC patients, with regard to the mean FACIT-F (14.8 for CD and 16.0 for UC, p = 0.71). The IBD patients who underwent surgery for CD and UC had significantly lower FACIT-F scores compared to the patients before the surgery (p = 0.001 and p = 0.0001, respectively). IBD patients who underwent surgery for CD and UC had significantly better functioning and higher IBDQ total scores compared to the patients before the surgery.

Conclusions

Surgical treatment significantly reduces the fatigue symptom in patients with IBD. The severity of fatigue correlates with disease activity and functioning in the respective areas.

Detailed Multi-Dimensional Assessment of Fatigue in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background

Fatigue is a symptom commonly reported by patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Treating any underlying inflammation in active disease improves the health outcomes and decreases fatigue, but fatigue still persists in remission, negatively affecting patients' quality of life and posing a challenge for the treating physician. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of fatigue in patients with IBD and investigate possible contributing factors.

Methods

Recruited IBD patients from the Otago region in southern New Zealand were asked to complete demographic, physical activity (IPAQ) and fatigue questionnaires (Brief Fatigue Inventory, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory). Disease activity and factors contributing to fatigue were assessed through self-reporting and laboratory biomarkers.

Results

One hundred and thirteen of the contacted 469 IBD patients participated in the study. Depending on the questionnaire used, the prevalence of fatigue in IBD was high in remission (39.5-44.2%) but significantly higher (p < 0.001) in active disease (80.0-82.9%). Several factors such as age, disease duration, level of physical activity, gender and diet were found to be associated with increased fatigue and were attributed to either mental or physical fatigue categories. Multifactorial Fatigue Inventory provided insights into different types of fatigue, and revealed a significant mental fatigue component in both active and remission disease patients. Iron deficiency was not associated with fatigue levels.

Conclusions

Fatigue in IBD is multi-faceted and highly prevalent in both active and remission IBD. Further investigations, addressing the complexity of the symptom and its reporting are needed.

Fatigue is not associated with vitamin D deficiency in inflammatory bowel disease patients

AIM

To investigate if vitamin D deficiency is associated with fatigue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

IBD patients were recruited from nine hospitals in the southeastern and western regions of Norway to participate in a multicenter cross-sectional study lasting from March 2013 to April 2014. Data were collected by interviews, from medical records and laboratory tests. The Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ) was used to measure fatigue. Linear and logistic regression models were applied to explore the possible association between vitamin D deficiency and total fatigue scores and chronic fatigue, respectively. The analyses were adjusted for age, gender, disease activity, depressive symptoms and sleep disturbance.

RESULTS

In total, 405 patients were included in the analyses, of which 227 (56%) had Crohn’s disease (CD) and 178 (44%) had ulcerative colitis (UC). Vitamin D deficiency (< 50 nmol/L) was present in half (203/405) of the patients. Chronic fatigue was reported by 116 (29%) of all included patients with substantial fatigue reported by 194 (48%). Vitamin D levels were neither associated with total fatigue nor with chronic fatigue. Higher total fatigue scores and chronic fatigue were both associated with increased disease activity scores in patients with UC and CD, but not with increased CRP or fecal calprotectin. In UC patients, female gender was associated with fatigue in the univariate analysis, but no such difference was found when adjusted for elevated disease activity scores. Sleep disturbance and more depressive symptoms were associated with total fatigue scores in both UC and CD patients, but with chronic fatigue only in CD patients.

CONCLUSION

In this study, no significant association between fatigue and vitamin D deficiency in IBD patients was revealed.

Altered levels of cytokines in patients with irritable bowel syndrome are not correlated with fatigue

Introduction

A considerable number of patients with gastrointestinal complaints attributable to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have shown evidence of immune activation. Fatigue is also frequently reported by IBS patients and the condition is considered as a common comorbidity of IBS. Therefore, it is interesting to see whether these two conditions share the same pathophysiological mechanism.

Aims

To investigate the potential role of cytokine profiles in patients with IBS and the relationship between cytokine profiles and fatigue.

Materials and methods

Thirty-eight patients with IBS (32 females, 6 males, age range 18-70 years) and 22 healthy individuals (control group) (17 females, 5 males, age range 24-42 years) were included. IBS was diagnosed according to Rome III criteria, and severity of IBS symptoms and fatigue were evaluated using the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) and Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), respectively. FIS scores of 25 or higher were defined as fatigue. Blood samples were also taken, and the Luminex^® platform (Cytokine Human Ultrasensitive Magnetic 10-Plex Panel) was used for quantifying human cytokines' profile (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-γ, interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) in serum.

Results

The serum levels of IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α were significantly higher in patients with IBS compared to healthy controls (p=0.003, p=0.011, p=0.007, and p=0.02, respectively). Conversely, serum levels of cytokine IL-1β were significantly higher in the control group (p=0.03). The findings were consistent when comparing nonatopic patients with controls. Fatigue was demonstrated in 84.2% of the IBS patients. Scores of IBS-SSS were not significantly correlated with FIS scores (r=0.2, p=0.19), and they were not significantly different in patients with FIS scores >25 compared to patients with FIS scores <25 (p=0.11). None of the cytokine levels were significantly different in IBS patients with FIS scores >25 compared to IBS patients with FIS scores <25. Moreover, the cytokine levels in participants did not vary significantly between patients with diarrhea, constipation, or mixed bowel habits in multiple comparisons of patients.

Conclusions

The cytokines IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α may contribute to the development of IBS. However, serum levels of cytokines were not significantly different in IBS patients with fatigue compared with IBS patients without fatigue. Thus, the significance of cytokine levels may be less important than anticipated in search of common underlying mechanisms, and other factors should be explored in future studies.

Validation of Fatigue Impact Scale with various item sets - a Rasch analysis

PURPOSE

Fatigue is a symptom in patients with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases. Different instruments have been developed to assess the severity of fatigue and the 40-item Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) is among the most widely used. Shorter versions of FIS include the 21-item Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and an eight-item version for everyday use. The study aimed to assess construct validity, reliability, and sufficiency of the raw score of the original FIS with 40 items, and examine the sufficiency of the 21 items from the Modified scale and the eight items of the Daily Fatigue Impact Scale (D-FIS), all of which are embedded in the 40-item scale.

METHODS

Patients with chronic GI or liver disease (n = 354) completed the FIS with 40 items. The majority (57%) was under the age of 55 years and approximately half were females (48%). Various item sets of FIS were derived which showed fit to the Rasch model.

RESULTS

Local dependency and multidimensionality in FIS and the 21-item Modified scale were resolved with a testlet solution but the D-FIS showed local dependency and multidimensionality and differential item functioning (DIF) still remained. Two new item sets fulfilling unidimensionality and no DIF are suggested, one with 15 items and a six-item scale for daily use. The transformation table shows score-interval scale estimates for all these item sets.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the FIS and the Modified scale can be used to measure fatigue albeit requiring some adjustment for DIF. The eight-item D-FIS is more problematic, and its summed score is not valid. Alternative 15- and 6-item versions presented in this paper can offer valid summed scores, and the transformation table allows transformation of raw scores and comparisons across all versions. Implications for rehabilitation The Fatigue Impact Scale and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale can be used to measure fatigue after adjustments for differential item functioning. Alternative 15- and 6-item versions of Fatigue Impact Scale offer valid summed scores. The summed score for the Daily Fatigue Impact Scale is not valid. A transformation table with raw scores and Rasch transformed interval scale metric makes it possible to compare scores derived from the Fatigue Impact Scale, the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale and the proposed 15- and 6-item versions of Fatigue Impact Scale for research and/or clinical use.

Fatigue in out-patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Prevalence and predictive factors

Background and Aim

Fatigue is a common and bothersome symptom in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. The study was aimed to determine the relationship of biological and psychological factors with IBD-related fatigue.

Methods

Consecutive clinically inactive IBD outpatients receiving immunosuppressants or biological drugs were enrolled between January and December 2013. Patients completed a Fatigue score (FACIT-F), various psychological, quality of life (IBDQ-9), and IBD activity scores. Biological parameters were assessed, including levels of interleukins (IL-5, IL-8 and IL-12) and micronutrients.

Results

We prospectively recruited 202 patients (28% ulcerative colitis and 72% Crohn’s disease) for the study. Fatigue measured by FACIT-F score was prevalent in the studied population (54%, 96/177) and higher than in the general population. In the univariate analysis no relation was found between IL levels or micronutrient deficiencies and fatigue. Fatigue was significantly related to female sex, Crohn’s disease, joint disorders, body mass index (BMI), psychological tests, thiopurine use, and anti-TNF treatment. All these variables were included in the multivariate analysis. Female sex (OR: 4.8), high BMI (OR:1.2) and higher depression rates (OR:1.2) were predictors of increased fatigue. High IBDQ-9 score (OR: 0.82) was significantly related to lower degrees of fatigue.

Conclusion

Fatigue was prevalent in quiescent IBD patients with moderate-to-severe disease. It was associated with high levels of depression, low quality of life, and female sex. No association was found with the other biological and psychological factors evaluated.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for the management of inflammatory bowel disease-fatigue with a nested qualitative element: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is one of the most prevalent and burdensome symptoms for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although fatigue increases during periods of inflammation, for some patients it persists when disease is in remission. Compared to other long-term conditions where fatigue has been extensively researched, optimal management of fatigue in patients with IBD is unknown and fatigue has rarely been the primary outcome in intervention studies. To date, interventions for the management of IBD-fatigue are sparse, have short-term effects and have not been implemented within the existing health system. There is a need to integrate current best evidence across different conditions, patient experience and clinical expertise in order to develop interventions for IBD-fatigue management that are feasible and effective. Modifying an existing intervention for patients with multiple sclerosis, this study aims to assess the feasibility and initial estimates of efficacy of a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention for the management of fatigue in patients with IBD.

METHODS

The study will be a two-arm pilot randomised controlled trial. Patients will be recruited from one outpatient IBD clinic and randomised individually to either: Group 1 (CBT manual for the management of fatigue, one 60-min session and seven 30-min telephone/Skype sessions with a therapist over an eight-week period); or Group 2 (fatigue information sheet to use without therapist help). Self-reported IBD-fatigue (Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Fatigue Scale) and IBD-quality of life (United Kingdom Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire) and self-reported disease activity will be collected at baseline, three, six and 12 months post randomisation. Illness perceptions, daytime sleepiness, anxiety and depression explanatory variables will be collected only at three months post randomisation. Clinical and sociodemographic data will be retrieved from the patients' medical notes. A nested qualitative study will evaluate patient and therapist experience, and healthcare professionals' perceptions of the intervention.

DISCUSSION

The study will provide evidence of the feasibility and initial estimates of efficacy of a CBT intervention for the management of fatigue in patients with IBD. Quantitative and qualitative findings from the study will contribute to the development and implementation of a large-scale randomised controlled trial assessing the efficacy of CBT interventions for IBD-fatigue.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN17917944 . Registered on 2 September 2016.

Fatigue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease is associated with distinct differences in immune parameters

Background

Although it is well recognized that fatigue is an important problem in many of the quiescent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, it is unknown whether the immune status is different in fatigued versus non-fatigued patients. In this study, we contrasted various characteristics of the immune system in fatigued against non-fatigued patients with IBD in clinical remission.

Patients and methods

Patients with IBD in clinical remission were phenotyped according to the Montreal classification, and the checklist individual strength-fatigue (CIS-fatigue) was used to assess fatigue (CIS-fatigue ≥ 35). Flow cytometry on peripheral blood samples was used to investigate differences in leukocyte subsets. The expression of various cytokines was determined in stimulated whole blood and serum samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Differences between fatigued and non-fatigued patients with IBD were assessed.

Results

In total, 55 patients were included in the fatigue group (FG) and 29 patients in the non-fatigue group (NFG). No differences in demographic and clinical characteristics were observed between the groups. Flow cytometry data showed a significantly lower percentage of monocytes (p = 0.011) and a higher percentage of memory T-cells (p = 0.005) and neutrophils (p = 0.033) in the FG compared with the NFG. Whole blood stimulation showed increased TNF-α (p = 0.022) and IFN-γ (p = 0.047) in the FG. The median serum level was significantly higher for IL-12 (p < 0.001) and IL-10 (p = 0.005) and lower for IL-6 (p = 0.002) in the FG compared with NFG.

Conclusion

Significant differences in immune profile between fatigued and non-fatigued patients with IBD in clinical remission were found, which point out to a chronically active and Th1-skewed immune system in patients with fatigue. Whether these immune differences are directly involved in the fatigue complaints via immune-to-brain communication pathways remains to be determined. As such, further exploration of the underlying immune effects associated with fatigue is warranted to determine potential treatment options.

Fecal metagenomic profiles in subgroups of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

BACKGROUND

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is characterized by unexplained persistent fatigue, commonly accompanied by cognitive dysfunction, sleeping disturbances, orthostatic intolerance, fever, lymphadenopathy, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The extent to which the gastrointestinal microbiome and peripheral inflammation are associated with ME/CFS remains unclear. We pursued rigorous clinical characterization, fecal bacterial metagenomics, and plasma immune molecule analyses in 50 ME/CFS patients and 50 healthy controls frequency-matched for age, sex, race/ethnicity, geographic site, and season of sampling.

RESULTS

Topological analysis revealed associations between IBS co-morbidity, body mass index, fecal bacterial composition, and bacterial metabolic pathways but not plasma immune molecules. IBS co-morbidity was the strongest driving factor in the separation of topological networks based on bacterial profiles and metabolic pathways. Predictive selection models based on bacterial profiles supported findings from topological analyses indicating that ME/CFS subgroups, defined by IBS status, could be distinguished from control subjects with high predictive accuracy. Bacterial taxa predictive of ME/CFS patients with IBS were distinct from taxa associated with ME/CFS patients without IBS. Increased abundance of unclassified Alistipes and decreased Faecalibacterium emerged as the top biomarkers of ME/CFS with IBS; while increased unclassified Bacteroides abundance and decreased Bacteroides vulgatus were the top biomarkers of ME/CFS without IBS. Despite findings of differences in bacterial taxa and metabolic pathways defining ME/CFS subgroups, decreased metabolic pathways associated with unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis and increased atrazine degradation pathways were independent of IBS co-morbidity. Increased vitamin B6 biosynthesis/salvage and pyrimidine ribonucleoside degradation were the top metabolic pathways in ME/CFS without IBS as well as in the total ME/CFS cohort. In ME/CFS subgroups, symptom severity measures including pain, fatigue, and reduced motivation were correlated with the abundance of distinct bacterial taxa and metabolic pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Independent of IBS, ME/CFS is associated with dysbiosis and distinct bacterial metabolic disturbances that may influence disease severity. However, our findings indicate that dysbiotic features that are uniquely ME/CFS-associated may be masked by disturbances arising from the high prevalence of IBS co-morbidity in ME/CFS. These insights may enable more accurate diagnosis and lead to insights that inform the development of specific therapeutic strategies in ME/CFS subgroups.

Fatigue in a population-based cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease 20 years after diagnosis: The IBSEN study

OBJECTIVE

Fatigue is a major concern for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), but evidence from population-based studies regarding fatigue in long-standing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients is scarce. Our aims were to assess fatigue scores and the prevalence of chronic fatigue in IBD patients 20 years after diagnosis and to identify variables associated with fatigue in this cohort.

METHODS

Twenty years after diagnosis, patients from a cohort with incident IBD were invited to a follow-up visit that included a structured interview, a clinical examination, laboratory tests and the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ). Fatigue scores were obtained, and factors associated with fatigue were assessed via linear and logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Of the 599 invited patients, 440 (73.5%) completed the FQ. Among those with active disease, we found significantly higher fatigue scores than among those with quiescent disease (fatigue scores: UC 17.1 versus 12.4, p < .001, and CD 17.5 versus 13.3, p < .001). The fatigue scores of those with quiescent disease were comparable with those of the reference population. Chronic fatigue was more frequent among IBD patients than in the reference population. Factors associated with fatigue included self-perceived disease activity, poor sleep quality, anxiety and depression.

CONCLUSION

At 20 years after IBD diagnosis, fatigue scores were higher and chronic fatigue was more frequent among IBD patients with active disease than in the reference population and among those with quiescent IBD. Subjectively perceived disease activity, sleep quality, anxiety and depression were associated with fatigue in IBD patients.

Patient-reported Outcomes in a French Nationwide Survey of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

BACKGROUND

Patient reported-outcomes [PROs] are a major therapeutic goal in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD].

METHODS

Between January and June 2014, patients affiliated with the French national IBD association filled out six self-questionnaires: quality of life 9QoL, according to the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire [SIBDQ] and the Short-Form-36 Questionnaire [SF-36] v2); fatigue (the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue [FACIT-F]); work productivity (the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment [WPAI] questionnaire); disability [the I nflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index]; and anxiety/depression (the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale [HADS]). Associated factors were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Datasets were obtained from 1185 IBD patients. Around half of patients reported poor QoL [SIBDQ <45: 53.3%], severe fatigue [FACIT-F <30: 47.4%] and/or depression [HAD-D >7: 49.4%]. One-third of the patients reported anxiety [HAD-A >7: 30.3%] and/or moderate [22.4%] or severe [11.9%] disability. About half of them reported presenteeism and moderate-to-severe loss of work productivity and loss of activity. Poor QoL, severe fatigue, severe disease-related disability, and/or high WPAI were all associated with female gender, unemployment, and disease activity. Poor QoL, severe fatigue, and high WPAI were also associated with the use of tumour necrosis factor antagonists. A history of surgery was associated with poor QoL, whereas age was associated with severe fatigue. Severe depression was associated with female gender and disease activity.

CONCLUSIONS

The disease burden is very high in IBD, with poor QoL, fatigue, work impairment, and depression in half of patients. Marked disability and anxiety were reported by one-third of patients.

Fatigue: a distressing symptom for patients with irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is a frequent symptom in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and is associated with poor quality of life. However, few studies have evaluated its impact on daily life or the perceived distress it can cause. Using a multi-methods approach, this study describes the impact and manifestations of fatigue in patients with IBS and investigates the relationship between fatigue severity and illness-related and health-promoting factors.

METHODS

A total of 160 patients with IBS completed self-reported questionnaires assessing fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, psychological distress, and sense of coherence. Fatigue was assessed with the Fatigue Impact Scale, which also includes structured and open-ended questions which were analyzed with a deductive qualitative analysis. Patients were classified as having severe, moderate, or mild fatigue based on frequency, distress and impact on daily life.

KEY RESULTS

The open-ended questions revealed a multidimensional impact on life. Fatigue mainly interfered with the ability to perform physical activities, work, and domestic work, and the ability to interact socially. Decreased stamina was evident, along with strategies to limit the bodily consequences of tiredness. Severe fatigue was accompanied by more severe IBS symptoms, anxiety and depression and lower sense of coherence.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Fatigue is a distressing symptom which occurs in a sizeable proportion of patients with IBS. It affects life in a multidimensional way, with poor bodily stamina being the most prominent feature. Fatigue, along with sense of coherence, depression and anxiety, needs to be assessed, confirmed and targeted for interventions.

Fatigue Measures in Noncancer Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Critical Review

Fatigue is commonly reported by patients with noncancer gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as organic and functional GI disorders. This critical review was conducted to evaluate fatigue measures that have been used in these patients. A systematic search using six databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Cochrane Review) was conducted from January 2000 to June 2014, and evaluations and reviews of fatigue instruments were performed by two independent reviewers (author and medical librarian). Fourteen instruments from 25 studies were identified. Ten instruments were solely focused on fatigue and four were multisymptom instruments. The average quality score of the 14 instruments was 10.7 (range, 6-14) out of 14. There were five instruments with high overall scores based on usability/feasibility, clinical/research utility, and psychometric properties (3 fatigue-specific and 2 multisymptom). There are valid and reliable measures that are currently available to assess fatigue in noncancer GI patients. Utilization of these common measures may assist clinicians (GI healthcare providers) and researchers to better understand the impact of fatigue in these patients. The instruments with low-quality scores cannot be chosen for routine use without further validation.

Targets for Health Interventions for Inflammatory Bowel Disease-fatigue

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Fatigue is a complex, multifactorial, and multidimensional phenomenon. Recognition of modifiable correlates of fatigue can provide a further understanding of this phenomenon in patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] and aid in the development of interventions tailored towards fatigue with potential for efficacy. Our aims were to systematically search and synthesise available evidence on potentially modifiable factors contributing to IBD-fatigue and what advances in the management of fatigue in individuals with IBD have been made.

METHODS

The process of selection of citations was based on an earlier review by Czuber-Dochan et al. [2013] and was undertaken in two phases: i] searching for new studies published since August 2012, using seven electronic databases; ii] re-selection of papers included in previous review according to the aims of the current review.

RESULTS

A total of 43 studies met the inclusion criteria. IBD-fatigue was consistently associated with disease activity, depression, anxiety, and sleep difficulties. However, most studies were cross-sectional; thus the direction of causation remains unknown. The relationship between biochemical factors, such as anaemia and inflammation, and fatigue was inconsistent. Solution-focused therapy, thiamine, and exercise showed promising effects on IBD-fatigue. Interventions continue to be sparse, with methodological limitations and only short-term effects reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The review identified a number of psychosocial and physical factors which could potentially be modified through targeted health interventions and improve fatigue in IBD. Research utilising prospective observational studies and randomized control trial [RCT] design is required to develop and test interventions to reduce fatigue, most likely within a biopsychosocial model of care.

Fatigue in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Pooled Frequency and Severity of Fatigue

PURPOSE

Fatigue is the third most common "extraintestinal" complaint of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but it is still poorly understood. This study aimed to review characteristics of IBS-associated fatigue and to examine pooled frequency, severity of fatigue, and correlations of related factors with fatigue in IBS via meta-analyses.

METHODS

Publications were searched in eight databases from 1995 to 2014. Random effects meta-analyses were applied with standard error, weighted effect size, and correlation-based measure of effect size.

RESULTS

Twenty-four studies were included in systematic review. Seventeen studies were used for meta-analyses (2 studies were excluded in the frequency of fatigue analysis due to data unavailability). Using "tiredness" to define fatigue, and Fatigue Impact Scale to assess fatigue were the most frequently used across the studies. Gastrointestinal symptoms, psychological distress, and health-related quality of life were the most common correlates with fatigue. The pooled frequency of fatigue was 54.2% [95% confidence interval (38.5, 69.4)]. Metaregression on the frequency of fatigue showed positive and significant relations with tertiary care settings, female sex, and younger age. There was a negatively moderate relationship between the severity of fatigue and health-related quality of life score (correlation-based measure of effect size: -.378).

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue is prevalent among patients with IBS and commonly co-occurs with other symptoms. This is the first study to fully examine fatigue in IBS, which shed light on the comprehensive management of fatigue in this patient group. Future research is warranted to further explore fatigue-related factors and underlying mechanisms of fatigue in IBS.

Sleep and physical activity measured by accelerometry in Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

Sleep and physical activity are inherent to human living, yet appear affected by Crohn's disease (CD), resulting in fatigue and disability.

AIM

To objectively assess sleep quality and physical activity and their associations using accelerometers, comparing CD vs. matched healthy control (HC) subjects.

METHODS

Exactly 49 CD and 30 HC subjects completed surveys encompassing self-reported fatigue and sleep quality, pathology testing and wore an accelerometer for 7 days, measuring physical activity and sleep. In this cross-sectional observational study, per-group comparisons were performed and in CD, factors associated with reduced activity and/or sleep quality were assessed via multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Regarding physical activity, CD subjects overall performed less total accelerometer counts (median 1.3 × 10(6) vs. 2.0 × 10(6) ), were more sedentary (97.7% vs. 96.2%) and completed fewer bouts of moderate-vigorous intensity exercise (1.0 vs. 5.0, each P < 0.01 (Mann-Whitney) than HC over 7 days. Factors associated with poor physical activity in CD included elevated serum CRP (OR = 22.6), lower vitamin D3 (OR = 13.1) and longer disease duration (OR = 1.2 per year, each P < 0.05). Regarding sleep, the CD group had similar total sleep time (median 458 vs. 447 min, P = 0.56), but more awakenings post-sleep onset (22 vs. 11, P = 0.01). Factors associated with severe sleep dysfunction in CD included lower haemoglobin (OR = 6.7) concurrent anti-TNF (OR = 6.5, each P < 0.05) and opioid therapy (OR = 6.6, P = 0.09).

CONCLUSION

Utilising objective measurement in a habitual context over 7 days, patients with Crohn's disease exhibited poorer sleep quality and less physical activity than well-matched healthy controls.

Irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue 6 years after giardia infection: a controlled prospective cohort study

Giardia infection in a nonendemic setting is associated with an increased risk for irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue 6 years later. These conditions should be considered a differential diagnosis in patients with persisting symptoms after eradication of the parasite.

Background. Functional gastrointestinal disorders and fatigue may follow acute infections. This study aimed to estimate the persistence, prevalence, and risk of irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue 6 years after Giardia infection.

Methods. We performed a controlled prospective study of a cohort of 1252 individuals who had laboratory-confirmed Giardia infection during a waterborne outbreak in 2004. In total, 748 cohort cases (exposed) and 878 matched controls responded to a postal questionnaire 6 years later (in 2010). Responses were compared to data from the same cohort 3 years before (in 2007).

Results. The prevalences of irritable bowel syndrome (39.4%) by Rome III criteria and chronic fatigue (30.8%) in the exposed group 6 years after giardiasis were significantly elevated compared with controls, with adjusted relative risks (RRs) of 3.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9–3.9) and 2.9 (95% CI, 2.3–3.4), respectively. In the exposed group, the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome decreased by 6.7% (RR, 0.85 [95% CI, .77–.93]), whereas the prevalence of chronic fatigue decreased by 15.3% from 3 to 6 years after Giardia infection (RR, 0.69 [95% CI, .62–.77]). Giardia exposure was a significant risk factor for persistence of both conditions, and increasing age was a risk factor for persisting chronic fatigue.

Conclusions. Giardia infection in a nonendemic setting is associated with an increased risk for irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue 6 years later. The prevalences of both conditions decrease over time, indicating that this intestinal protozoan parasite may elicit very long-term, but slowly self-limiting, complications.

Objectively measured muscle fatigue in Crohn's disease: correlation with self-reported fatigue and associated factors for clinical application

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The association of fatigue with decreased physical performance and underlying mechanisms are poorly understood in Crohn's disease (CD). We aimed to measure and compare self-reported fatigue with skeletal muscle fatigue in CD subjects and healthy controls, and to identify associated factors that may be amenable to change.

METHODS

Demographic and clinical data were collected and fatigue assessed using the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) in 27 consecutive CD patients and 22 matched healthy controls. Circulating cytokines and growth factors were measured. The rate of quadriceps muscle fatigue was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer as the decrement of force with 30 contractions performed over a 5-minute period.

RESULTS

Compared with healthy controls, CD patients reported greater levels of fatigue (mean global FIS score 45.3 vs 10.5, physical dimension score 12.3 vs 2.7 respectively; each p<0.01) and muscle fatigue (-5.2 vs -1.3 Nm min(-1); p<0.05). The two indices were correlated (r = -0.52 in CD; p<0.01). Patients with CD had lower mean serum IGF-1 levels (16.1 vs 25.4 pmol/L, p<0.01) and higher oxidative stress (TBARS assay 4.3 vs 3.9 μM, p<0.05). On multivariate analysis, low serum vitamin D, IGF-1 and magnesium, and higher IL-6 levels were associated with increased muscle fatigue (all p ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Subjects with CD had more muscle fatigue than matched healthy controls and this correlated well with self-reported fatigue. Of circulating factors that were independently associated with increased muscle fatigue, vitamin D, magnesium and IGF-1 could be targeted in future studies to reduce fatigue and improve physical performance.

Factors associated with physical and cognitive fatigue in patients with Crohn's disease: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Fatigue commonly impairs quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and severity of fatigue in CD (compared with ulcerative colitis [UC] and healthy controls) and to identify potentially modifiable factors associated with global, physical, and cognitive dimensions of fatigue.

METHODS

Clinic attendees with confirmed CD or UC and healthy volunteers were surveyed on fatigue (Fatigue Impact Scale, FIS), psychological comorbidity, sleep quality, medication, and other clinical information. A CD subgroup also completed a similar follow-up survey.

RESULTS

In 379 responders (181 CD, 113 UC, and 85 controls), global, physical, and cognitive FIS scores were highest in CD followed by UC and controls (P < 0.01), with a prevalence of global fatigue (total FIS ≥ 40) in 57% of CD patients. On multivariate analysis, concurrently active disease, poor sleep quality, and mental illness were significantly associated with all the 3 fatigue dimensions: regular vitamin B group supplementation was inversely associated with physical fatigue in the CD cohort and those of older age or with previous resection(s) (P = 0.05) were independently associated with cognitive fatigue only. Longitudinally in CD, fatigue scores remained constant between original and follow-up surveys (mean change in total FIS score +0.9; 95% confidence interval, -4.6 to 6.3). Factors independently associated with improved physical fatigue between surveys included avoidance of corticosteroids and establishment of regular exercise and with improved cognitive fatigue included cessation of immunomodulator therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue is highly prevalent and more severe in CD. Anticipated and novel associations with improvement of physical and/or cognitive fatigue were identified, offering clues to potential therapeutic approaches to ameliorating fatigue for clinical evaluation.

Changes in fatigue over 2 years are associated with activity of inflammatory bowel disease and psychological factors

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Cross-sectional studies have identified high levels of fatigue in patients with active or quiescent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but there has been little attention to the long-term effects of fatigue in these patients. We performed a longitudinal study of fatigue in patients with IBD to determine its course and contributing factors.

METHODS

Data were obtained from participants in the Manitoba IBD Cohort Study (N = 312; 51% with Crohn's disease), a longitudinal population-based study. Symptomatic disease activity was measured every 6 months for 2 years to characterize long-term disease patterns as active, fluctuating, or inactive, based on the validated Manitoba IBD Index. We collected data concurrently on fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory), psychological function, and laboratory biomarkers at the point of study entry and 1 and 2 years later.

RESULTS

Of the study participants, 26% had consistently inactive, 29% had fluctuating, and 45% had consistently active disease over the 2-year time period. Mean levels of fatigue were strongly associated with disease activity; participants with consistently inactive disease had the lowest level of fatigue at each time point. Multivariate analyses indicated fatigue levels increased over time regardless of disease pattern (P < .001). Adjusting for disease activity, disease type and age, sex (female; P < .001), and psychological variables of distress (P < .001), reduced psychological well-being (P = .002) and poor sleep quality (P < .001) were associated independently with increases in fatigue over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue can increase over time in patients with IBD, even when their disease is in remission. Psychological factors are useful targets for intervention to reduce fatigue.

Chronic fatigue in patients with unexplained self-reported food hypersensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome: validation of a Norwegian translation of the Fatigue Impact Scale

BACKGROUND

Patients with unexplained self-reported food hypersensitivity and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) suffer from several health complaints, including fatigue. The aim of the present study was to validate a Norwegian translation of the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), and to assess the impact of fatigue in patients with self-reported food hypersensitivity and IBS, as compared with healthy controls.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients with unexplained self-reported food hypersensitivity and IBS, who participated in the validation of the FIS completed the following additional questionnaires: the Short Form of Nepean Dyspepsia Index for assessment of quality of life, the Subjective Health Complaint Inventory, and questionnaires for diagnosis and severity of IBS. Impact of fatigue was studied in 43 patients with unexplained self-reported food hypersensitivity, 70% diagnosed with IBS, and 42 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Cronbach's α for the FIS was 0.98, indicating excellent agreement between individual items. Scores on the FIS correlated with scores on the Short Form of Nepean Dyspepsia Index (r = 0.50, P = 0.001), indicating good convergent validity, and were higher in patients (median 85.0, interquartile range 36.8-105.3) than in controls (median 14.0, interquartile range 3.0-29.0, P ≤ 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The Norwegian translation of the FIS performed excellently in patients with unexplained self-reported food hypersensitivity and IBS, with patients reporting significantly more impact of chronic fatigue than healthy controls.

Review article: Description and management of fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is a common and leading concern for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is managed inadequately in IBD, and there is little evidence to support interventions.

AIM

To examine patients' experience of and factors contributing to IBD-fatigue, and to appraise its management by patients and healthcare professionals.

METHODS

Seven electronic databases were searched. Subject headings and free-text searching were used, with no time limit set. Reference lists of retrieved papers were searched manually.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight papers were reviewed. Researchers used terms including 'fatigue', 'low energy', 'tiredness', 'decline in vitality and vigour' and 'reduced energy and vitality'. Different definitions were used to conceptualise fatigue. None of the reviewed studies asked patients to describe the experience of fatigue in their own words. Numerous physical, psychological and situational factors associated with fatigue were identified. Three small randomised control trials reported a favourable effect of infliximab and adalimumab on fatigue. One intervention study reported benefit from a stress management programme and one from solution-focused therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Inconsistent use of terminology, lack of data from patients' perspective on inflammatory bowel disease-fatigue and lack of evidence to support its management contribute to fatigue being largely ignored or overlooked by healthcare professionals. Future research should explore the experience of IBD-fatigue from the individual patient perspective. Further studies are required to fully explore the factors associated with fatigue and to develop patient-centred interventions to reduce fatigue.

Determinants of fatigue in Crohn's disease patients

OBJECTIVE

Crohn's disease (CD) is often associated with severe fatigue. Little is known about patients who may be at the highest risk for fatigue. Therefore, we assessed the disease phenotype and factors related to fatigue in the presence of CD in two different populations.

METHODS

Patients presenting at the clinic of a referral hospital and a general hospital were included in the study. They completed questionnaires including the Checklist Individual Strength, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, a questionnaire on disease activity, and one on medication use. The Montreal classification and sociodemographics were obtained from medical records. Hemoglobin and C-reactive protein levels were measured at baseline.

RESULTS

In total, 425 patients were included (276 women, mean age: 42 years). Compared with patients from the general hospital, patients at the referral hospital had worse disease activity, worse disease behavior, more bowel resections, and a higher percentage of side-effects to medication and use of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The prevalence of fatigue was significantly higher in the referral patients compared with the general patients (65.7 vs. 52.5%, respectively; P=0.01). Similar results were found in patients in remission (53.3 vs. 40.5%; P=0.061). Factors related to fatigue were the use of anti-TNF at baseline, side-effects to 5-aminosalicylic acid, disease activity, female sex, and shorter disease duration. Furthermore, we found improvement in fatigue and a trend toward lower disease activity after 1 year of anti-TNF use.

CONCLUSION

A high percentage of CD patients suffer from fatigue. As a more aggressive phenotype seems to be associated with more severe fatigue and patients in remission still suffer from fatigue, a multidimensional approach for fatigue is warranted in these patients.

The experience of fatigue in people with inflammatory bowel disease: an exploratory study

AIMS

To explore fatigue, the impact it has on daily life and the strategies used to ameliorate the symptom, as described by people with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is the most troublesome symptom during remission of inflammatory bowel disease. Fatigue affects people's daily functioning, impacting on quality of life. There is limited understanding of the nature of and the ways fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease is experienced and managed in everyday adult life.

DESIGN

An epistemological interpretive approach to understand participants' self-reported experiences of disease-related fatigue.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 46 participants was recruited from the Crohn's and Colitis UK member database. Five focus group interviews (November 2008-February 2009) were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using an inductive thematic framework.

FINDINGS

Five themes were identified: the experience of fatigue, causes of fatigue, managing fatigue, consequences of fatigue, and seeking support. Fatigue had a debilitating effect on the social and emotional well-being of participants and limited their employment opportunities. People used a range of strategies to cope and reported that fatigue-related issues seemed to be poorly understood by clinicians and were not addressed in medical consultations.

CONCLUSION

Fatigue was an inextricable part of daily life for some people with inflammatory bowel disease. Specialist nurses and medical colleagues need to address the personal, social, and economic consequences of fatigue, whilst further nursing research would improve understanding of the impact of fatigue and help develop appropriate intervention strategies for people with inflammatory bowel disease.

Fatigue and disease-related worries among inflammatory bowel disease patients in remission; is it a reflection of coexisting IBS-like symptoms? A short report

OBJECTIVES

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) like symptoms and fatigue are frequently reported in quiescent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We hypothesized that coexisting IBS-like symptoms might be associated with increased levels of fatigue and disease-related worries.

METHODS

A total of 140 IBD outpatients were assessed. Cut-off for remission was <4 and <3 on the disease activity indices SCDAI and SCCAI. In addition patients on current steroid treatment were excluded. A diagnosis of IBS was based on the Rome criteria. Fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ), disease related worries with the Rating Form of IBD Patient Concerns (RFIPC).

RESULTS

Eighty-nine patients fulfilled the criteria for remission. Of these 89 patients, 21 and 30 were IBS positive according to the Rome II and III criteria, respectively. FQ scores were significantly elevated in IBS positive UC patients. Clinical significant differences were also found in relation to RFIPC scores.

CONCLUSION

Coexisting IBS-like symptoms among IBD patients in remission are associated with an increased level of fatigue and disease-related worries.

Immunophenotyping in post-giardiasis functional gastrointestinal disease and chronic fatigue syndrome

Background

A Giardia outbreak was associated with development of post-infectious functional gastrointestinal disorders (PI-FGID) and chronic fatigue syndrome (PI-CFS). Markers of immune dysfunction have given conflicting results in CFS and FGID patient populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate a wide selection of markers of immune dysfunction in these two co-occurring post-infectious syndromes.

Methods

48 patients, reporting chronic fatigue in a questionnaire study, were clinically evaluated five years after the outbreak and grouped according to Fukuda criteria for CFS (n=19) and idiopathic chronic fatigue (n=5) and Rome II criteria for FGIDs (n=54). 22 Giardia exposed non-fatigued individuals and 10 healthy unexposed individuals were recruited as controls. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry.

Results

In peripheral blood we found significantly higher CD8 T-cell levels in PI-FGID, and significantly lower NK-cell levels in PI-CFS patients. Severity of abdominal and fatigue symptoms correlated negatively with NK-cell levels. A tendency towards lower T-cell CD26 expression in FGID was seen.

Conclusion

Patients with PI-CFS and/or PI-FGID 5 years after Giardia lamblia infection showed alterations in NK-cell and CD8-cell populations suggesting a possible immunological abnormality in these conditions. We found no significant changes in other markers examined in this well-defined group of PI-CFS and PI-FGID elicited by a gastrointestinal infection. Controlling for co-morbid conditions is important in evaluation of CFS-biomarkers.

Predicting fatigue in patients using home parenteral nutrition: a longitudinal study

Background

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a life-saving therapy for patients with diseases that preclude adequate oral or enteral food intake. HPN has a large impact on daily life. Many patients suffer from fatigue and depression, and they experience limits in social activities. This all contributes to a lower quality of life.

Purpose

Fatigue is the most frequently mentioned problem in Dutch HPN patients. Therefore, we studied the prevalence, course and predictors of fatigue in these patients.

Methods

Patients completed questionnaires at baseline and follow-up (12 months later). Measurements included fatigue, depression, functional impairment, social support, self-efficacy, coping, anxiety and acceptance. Laboratory measures, including total bilirubin, creatinine, albumin and haemoglobin levels, were obtained from the medical records. Descriptive statistics, correlations and linear regression analysis were performed.

Results

The response rate was 71% (n = 75). Sixty-five per cent of the patients were severely fatigued (n = 49). Eighty-nine per cent experienced persistent fatigue. Baseline fatigue predicted 57% of the variance of fatigue at follow-up, and avoidance was responsible for 3% of the variance. No significant correlations between fatigue and laboratory measures were found. A cross-sectional analysis showed that 46% of the variance of fatigue was explained by functional impairment, self-efficacy and depression.

Conclusion

Severe fatigue is a persistent problem for HPN patients. Baseline fatigue was the strongest predictor of fatigue at follow-up. Functional impairment, self-efficacy and depression are strongly related to fatigue. Early recognition and treatment of fatigue are important.

A population-based study of fatigue and sleep difficulties in inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

There has been little investigation of fatigue, a common symptom in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to evaluate fatigue more comprehensively, considering relationships with psychological and biological factors simultaneously in a population-based IBD community sample.

METHODS

Manitoba IBD Cohort Study participants (n = 318; 51% Crohn's disease [CD]) were assessed by survey, interview, and blood sample. Fatigue, sleep quality, daytime drowsiness, stress, psychological distress, and quality of life were measured with validated scales. Hemoglobin (Hg) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also obtained. Differences were tested across disease activity and disease subtype.

RESULTS

Elevated CRP was found for 23% of the sample and 12% were anemic; 46% had active disease. Overall, 72% of those with active and 30% with inactive disease reached clinical thresholds for fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory; P < 0.001); 77% and 49% of those with active or inactive disease, respectively, experienced poor sleep (P < 0.001). There were few differences between those with CD and ulcerative colitis (UC) on the factors assessed, except for higher CRP levels in CD (mean 8.8 versus 5.3, P < 0.02). Multiple logistic regression analyses found that elevated fatigue was associated with active disease (odds ratio [OR] 4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-7.8), poor sleep quality (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.9-8.6), and perceived stress (OR 4.2, 95% CI 2.2-8.1), but not with hours of sleep, Hg, or CRP.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue and poor sleep are not only highly prevalent in active disease, but both are still significant concerns for many with inactive disease. Psychological factors are associated with fatigue in IBD in addition to disease and sleep considerations.

Systematic review: fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is common, disabling yet underappreciated, in patients with chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

AIMS

To examine the literature and determine the prevalence and patterns of fatigue in IBD patients, to identify opportunities and directions for future research in this area.

METHODS

A systematic review using PubMed and Ovid Medline databases was conducted using search terms 'fatigue', 'Crohn', 'colitis' and 'inflammatory bowel disease'. A review of fatigue in other similar chronic diseases was also performed.

RESULTS

Ten studies were found to include data on fatigue in IBD patients; all were conducted between 1999 and 2009. However, only one study (in children) measured fatigue in IBD patients as a primary outcome. In patients in remission, the prevalence of fatigue in IBD patients ranges from 41 to 48%. Data are sparse and conflicting on whether fatigue severity is proportional to disease severity/activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the clinical reality of fatigue, there are few published studies examining fatigue in IBD as a primary outcome. More data are needed on the prevalence, correlation between disease activity and fatigue severity, and putative pathogenic pathways involved in fatigue pathogenesis, before ultimately elucidating targeted therapies for fatigue in IBD patients.

Symptom experience in HIV-infected adults: a function of demographic and clinical characteristics

Personal characteristics that interact with both HIV diagnosis and its medical management can influence symptom experience. Little is known about how symptoms in populations with chronic illness vary by age, sex, or socioeconomic factors. As part of an ongoing prospective longitudinal study, this report describes symptoms experienced by 317 men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Participants were recruited at HIV clinics and community sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. Measures included the most recent CD4 cell count and viral load from the medical record, demographic and treatment variables, and the 32-item Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale to estimate prevalence, severity, and distress of each symptom and global symptom burden. The median number of symptoms was nine, and symptoms experienced by more than half the sample population included lack of energy (65%), drowsiness (57%), difficulty sleeping (56%), and pain (55%). Global symptom burden was unrelated to age or CD4 cell count. Those with an AIDS diagnosis had significantly higher symptom burden scores, as did those currently receiving antiretroviral therapy. African Americans reported fewer symptoms than Caucasians or Mixed/Other race, and women reported more symptom burden after controlling for AIDS diagnosis and race. Because high symptom burden is more likely to precipitate self-care strategies that may potentially be ineffective, strategies for symptom management would be better guided by tailored interventions from health care providers.