Fatigue in adults with traumatic brain injury: predictors and consequences. A systematic review of longitudinal study protocols

Fatigue in patients with acquired brain damage

Fatigue is a complex, multidimensional syndrome that is prevalent in patients with acquired brain damage and has a negative impact on the neurorehabilitation process. It presents from early stages after the injury, and may persist over time, regardless of whether sequelae have resolved. Fatigue is conditioned by upper neuronal circuits, and is defined as an abnormal perception of overexertion. Its prevalence ranges from 29% to 77% after stroke, from 18% to 75% after traumatic brain injury, and from 47% to 97% after brain tumours. Fatigue is associated with factors including female sex, advanced age, dysfunctional families, history of specific health conditions, functional status (eg, fatigue prior to injury), comorbidities, mood, secondary disability, and the use of certain drugs. Assessment of fatigue is fundamentally based on such scales as the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Advances have recently been made in imaging techniques for its diagnosis, such as in functional MRI. Regarding treatment, no specific pharmacological treatment currently exists; however, positive results have been reported for some conventional neurorehabilitation therapies, such as bright light therapy, neurofeedback, electrical stimulation, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. This review aims to assist neurorehabilitation professionals to recognise modifiable factors associated with fatigue and to describe the treatments available to reduce its negative effect on patients.

Fatigue in young patients with acquired brain injury in the rehabilitation setting: Categorizing and interpreting fatigue severity levels

PURPOSE

Fatigue in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) is common. However, to better target fatigue, clear ways to categorize/interpret fatigue-severity in individual patients are lacking. This study aims to determine/categorize fatigue severity among children, adolescents, and young adults with ABI.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included young patients admitted to outpatient rehabilitation and their parents. To determine fatigue, the PedsQL™Multidimensional-Fatigue-Scale was used (MFS, scores 0-100, lower scores = higher fatigue, patient-/parent-reported). Based on scores from a reference population, four categories were formed: "1 = no/little fatigued" to "4 = severely-more fatigued."

RESULTS

All scores were lower than those from the reference population, with comparisons in the adolescent and young adult groups reaching statistical significance (p < .05). The proportions of patients in category 4 were: 9%/50%/58% among children/adolescents/young adults, showing that many patients were "severely-more fatigued"-than the reference population.

CONCLUSIONS

Measuring fatigue and categorizing fatigue severity looks promising for clinical practice and could help to better target fatigue.

Fatigue in patients with acquired brain damage

Fatigue is a complex, multidimensional syndrome that is prevalent in patients with acquired brain damage and has a negative impact on the neurorehabilitation process. It presents from early stages after the injury, and may persist over time, regardless of whether sequelae have resolved. Fatigue is conditioned by upper neuronal circuits, and is defined as an abnormal perception of overexertion. Its prevalence ranges from 29% to 77% after stroke, from 18% to 75% after traumatic brain injury, and from 47% to 97% after brain tumours. Fatigue is associated with factors including female sex, advanced age, dysfunctional families, history of specific health conditions, functional status (eg, fatigue prior to injury), comorbidities, mood, secondary disability, and the use of certain drugs. Assessment of fatigue is fundamentally based on such scales as the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Advances have recently been made in imaging techniques for its diagnosis, such as in functional MRI. Regarding treatment, no specific pharmacological treatment currently exists; however, positive results have been reported for some conventional neurorehabilitation therapies, such as bright light therapy, neurofeedback, electrical stimulation, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. This review aims to assist neurorehabilitation professionals to recognise modifiable factors associated with fatigue and to describe the treatments available to reduce its negative effect on patients.

Clinical Utility of Mindfulness Training in the Treatment of Fatigue After Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury and Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is a common symptom following neurological illnesses and injuries, and is rated as one of the most debilitating sequela in conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Yet effective treatments are lacking, suggesting a pressing need for a better understanding of its etiology and mechanisms that may alleviate the symptoms. Recently mindfulness-based interventions have demonstrated promising results for fatigue symptom relief.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for fatigue across neurological conditions and acquired brain injuries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Systematic literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. We included randomized controlled trials applying mindfulness-based interventions in patients with neurological conditions or acquired brain injuries. Four studies (N = 257) were retained for meta-analysis. The studies included patients diagnosed with MS, TBI, and stroke.

RESULTS

The estimated effect size for the total sample was -0.37 (95% CI: -0.58, -0.17).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that mindfulness-based interventions may relieve fatigue in neurological conditions such as stroke, TBI, and MS. However, the effect size is moderate, and further research is needed in order to determine the effect and improve our understanding of how mindfulness-based interventions affect fatigue symptom perception in patients with neurological conditions.