Fatigue in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the psychosocial aspects.
OBJECTIVE
Studies to prove a relationship between fatigue and immunological, inflammatory, or other disease characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have shown no consistent findings. To further elucidate the basis for fatigue in SLE, we examined the affective states, personality traits, and mental health status in an unselected group of patients with SLE.


METHODS
Fifty-seven Caucasian patients with SLE were examined. Fatigue was measured by the Fatigue Severity Scale. Personality traits and psychological function were evaluated by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), the affective states by Beck Depression Inventory, and mental health status by the General Health Questionnaire version 30 (GHQ-30).


RESULTS
Fatigue was closely associated with high scores on subscales Depression (D-2) and Hysteria (Hy-3) on MMPI-2 (R2 = 0.31; p = 0.0002), as well as with high scores on BDI (R2 = 0.22; p = 0.0006) and GHQ (R2 = 0.33; p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Fatigue does not seem to be caused by any easily recognizable single or multiple factor(s) of an inflammatory or immunological state. Our results point to fatigue being a multifaceted phenomenon where several psychosocial factors are strongly related, and indicate that fatigue is part of a complex response to chronic disease.
Omdal
Roald
R
Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Oslo, Norway. romdal@online.no
Waterloo
Knut
K
Koldingsnes
Wenche
W
Husby
Gunnar
G
Mellgren
Svein Ivar
SI
D000328:Adult; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D008950:MMPI; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality