Fatigue in HIV illness: relationship to depression, physical limitations, and disability.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of clinical fatigue reported by gay/bisexual men at all HIV illness stages, and whether fatigue, while associated with depression, independently contributes to limitations in physical function and disability.


METHODS
HIV- men, HIV+ men with CD4 counts >500, HIV+ men with CD4 counts 200 to 500, and men with AIDS were compared on prevalence of clinical fatigue, as defined by a standardized instrument. Among HIV+ men, the relationships among fatigue, depressed mood, major depressive disorder, HIV illness markers (including CD4 count and HIV RNA viral load), physical limitations, and disability were assessed at baseline and after 1 year.


RESULTS
The prevalence of clinical fatigue in men with CD4 counts <500 was 14%, significantly higher than HIV- men and HIV+ men with CD4 counts >500. However, fatigue was not directly correlated with CD4 count or HIV RNA. Fatigue was a chronic symptom that was associated with depressed mood, major depressive disorder, physical limitations, and disability. After 1 year, an increase in depressive symptoms predicted a small amount of variance in fatigue; however, depressive symptoms were not associated with physical limitations or disability after controlling for fatigue.


CONCLUSIONS
Fatigue is a chronic symptom that is more prevalent in advanced HIV illness, and which, although associated with depression, does not seem to be merely a symptom of depression. Because fatigue contributes independently to physical limitations and disability, it should be assessed and treated.
Ferrando
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York, USA. sjferran@mail.med.cornell.edu
Evans
S
S
Goggin
K
K
Sewell
M
M
Fishman
B
B
Rabkin
J
J
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012803:Sick Role