title: Nutritional, functional, and emotional characteristics related to fatigue in patients during and after biochemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test Winningham's psychobiologic entropy hypothesis in patients receiving biochemotherapy for melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Midwest cancer center.
  
  
  METHODS
  25 male and female patients who were receiving biochemotherapy or who had completed treatment 6-12 months prior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected using a series of questionnaires and diet recall.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fatigue, anxiety, depression, distressing symptoms, nutritional intake, and weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Moderate fatigue was significantly related to physiologic and psychological symptoms but not to nutrient intake. The sample was overweight, and a significant number of participants were obese. High caloric intakes were evident. Depression was a significant problem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fatigue was not as severe as expected, but problems with responses to the fatigue scale may explain this. Nutritional status and nutrient intake were not correlated to fatigue in this sample. Activity levels were related to fatigue, and treatment reduced activity. On average, activity returned to pretreatment levels 6-12 months after treatment. Winningham's hypothesis held and will be useful for understanding fatigue in this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depression needs to be assessed and treated as a side effect of biotherapy. Assessing the impact of nutrition when patients are overweight or obese is difficult. A scale specifically designed to test Winningham's hypothesis is needed.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Nottingham, England. davina.porock@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Davina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Porock
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beshears
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hinton
authors.forename: Clay
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires