Physical activity in Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors with and without chronic fatigue compared with the general population - a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors (HLSs) commonly report chronic fatigue, defined as high levels of fatigue for 6 months or more. Underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Based upon knowledge from other populations, lifestyle parameters may be related to this increased and persistent fatigue. The primary objective of the present study was to assess self-reported levels of physical activity, smoking habits and sleep patterns in HLSs with and without chronic fatigue. The secondary objective was to compare these results with data from age and gender adjusted data from the general population (Gen-Pop).


METHODS
The Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ) and questions about daily smoking, sleep patterns and level of physical activity were completed by 476 HLSs treated at Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Trust (RR). The Gen-Pop data was derived from 56.999 inhabitants in a Norwegian county responding to a mail survey. Fischer's exact test, chi square test and t-tests were used to compare groups. P-values < .05 were considered statistically significant. A logistic regression analysis was performed in comparing the Gen-Pop with the HLSs.


RESULTS
Level of physical activity, smoking habits and sleep patterns did not differ significantly between HLSs with and without chronic fatigue. The multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for different covariates, showed significantly more physically active men among HLSs compared with the Gen-Pop (OR = 1.50, CI 1.04 - 2.17), p = .031. No significant difference was found among females (OR = 1.20, CI = 0.83 - 1.74), p = .33.


CONCLUSIONS
Lifestyle parameters did not seem to be related to increased and persistent fatigue among HLSs. The results may indicate that the experience of Hodgkin's lymphoma increases the level of physical activity among male HLSs.
Oldervoll
Line M
LM
Department of Cancer Research & Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. line.oldervoll@ntnu.no
Loge
Jon H
JH
Kaasa
Stein
S
Lydersen
Stian
S
Hjermstad
Marianne J
MJ
Thorsen
Lene
L
Holte
Harald
H
Jacobsen
Anne B
AB
Fosså
Sophie D
SD
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D012890:Sleep; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*