Differences in physical performance between men and women with and without lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
To describe and compare physical performance profiles in men and women with lymphoma with age- and gender-matched controls and to examine relationships among fatigue severity and physical performance in men and women with lymphoma.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Outpatient lymphoma service in a major cancer teaching hospital.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients with lymphoma (26 women, 25 men), age- and gender-matched to 51 subjects without lymphoma.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
A physical performance test battery consisting of a 50-ft (15-m) walk, a 6-minute walk, forward reach, repeated sit-to-stand, repeated reach-up, timed belt tie, sock test, and coin test. Patients also completed the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI).


RESULTS
Multivariate analysis of variance was significant for main effects of group (F(8,89)=27.12, P<.05) and gender (F(8,89)=3.09, P<.05), and there was no significant interaction. Subsequent analyses found significant differences between groups and gender in the repeated reach-up task, forward reach, 50-ft walk, and distance walked in 6 minutes. Correlations among physical performance tasks and total BFI interference scores were moderate (r range,.27-.43; P<.05) for tasks involving upper extremity, and stronger (r range,.51 to -.73; P<.05) for tasks that involved whole-body movements.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a leveling effect of lymphoma across gender on most tasks. The significant relations between physical performance tasks and fatigue are suggestive of the pervasive influence of fatigue on physical function.
Lee
Jeannette Q
JQ
School of Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX, USA.
Simmonds
Maureen J
MJ
Wang
Xin Shelley
XS
Novy
Diane M
DM
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis