Fatigue in HIV-infected men receiving investigational interleukin-2.
BACKGROUND
Although fatigue is an almost universal clinical complaint of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, little has been done to study systematically the etiology, frequency, severity, response to, or management of HIV-related fatigue. In addition, HIV-related treatments may contribute to fatigue.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the extent and severity of perceived fatigue in a cohort of HIV-infected men (N= 50) who, as participants in a randomized clinical trial, were randomized to receive or not to receive investigational interleukin-2 (IL-2).


METHODS
A modified Piper Fatigue Scale was used to measure fatigue at baseline, at the end of 5 days of IL-2 therapy, 1 week later at home, and 1 month later for three consecutive cycles of IL-2 therapy.


RESULTS
Against a variable background of baseline fatigue in all subjects, those receiving IL-2 reported a significant increase in their level of fatigue after receiving IL-2. Fatigue levels remained elevated 1 week later but returned to baseline by 1 month. Fatigue was related to the dose of IL-2 but not to the reported amount or quality of sleep.


CONCLUSIONS
Against a background of fatigue related to HIV infection and its multiple manifestations and treatments, therapy with IL-2 dramatically increases the experience of fatigue. Although this increase is transient and tends to return to baseline by 1 month, during that month the patient's life function and quality may be severely affected.
Clinical Therapeutics Laboratory, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. christine_grady@nih.gov
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Chase
D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D007376:Interleukin-2