title: Investigation of diagnostic criteria for cancer-related fatigue syndrome in patients with advanced cancer: a feasibility study.
abstract: The primary aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of applying diagnostic criteria for cancer-related fatigue syndrome (CRFS) in patients with advanced cancer. A secondary aim was to assess the use of screening instruments for fatigue and depression in this population. Patients with advanced cancer (n=16) were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview for CRFS and a semi-structured psychiatric interview. Subjects also completed the Bi-dimensional Fatigue Scale (BFS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) as screening instruments. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 50% (8/16). The EPDS was found to have a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 100% for detecting depression. The prevalence of clinically significant fatigue symptoms was 62.5% (10/16). The BFS was found to have a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 64% for detecting clinically significant fatigue. The prevalence of CRFS was 12.5% (2/16).
authors.affiliation: Division of Mental Health, St. George's University of London, London, SW17 0RE, UK. hmurphy@sgul.ac.uk
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales