title: Fatigue in low-grade glioma.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of fatigue in long-term survivors with a low-grade glioma (LGG), and to analyze the relationship between fatigue and demographic variables, disease duration, tumor characteristics, former tumor treatment modalities, antiepileptic drug (AED) use, self-reported concentration, motivation, and activity. Fifty-four patients with stable disease (age range, 25-73 years) who were diagnosed and treated more than 8 years ago were included in this study. Fatigue was analyzed with the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS). Thirty-nine percent of the LGG patients were severely fatigued, with older patients being most affected. Severe fatigue was associated with AED use, and with reduced self-reported concentration, motivation, and activity. No relation was found between fatigue and gender, histology, tumor laterality, disease duration, type of neurosurgical intervention and radiation treatment. Fatigue is a severe problem in a large proportion of long-term surviving LGG patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Struik
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Jan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heimans
authors.forename: Marieke F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Gielissen
authors.forename: Gijs
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bleijenberg
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Taphoorn
authors.forename: Jaap C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Reijneveld
authors.forename: Tjeerd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Postma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants