Physical impairment, depressive symptoms and pre-stroke fatigue are related to fatigue in the acute phase after stroke.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to describe prevalence of fatigue and its relationship with demographic and clinical variables during the first 2 weeks (acute phase) following a stroke.


METHODS
Data were collected in a cross-sectional correlational study from face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires and patient's medical records. The sample consists of 115 patients with first-ever stroke admitted to two hospitals in Norway in 2007 and 2008. Post-stroke fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). The FSS measure was applied in the analysis as a continuous variable, and also used to categorise patients into three groups of fatigue intensity: no fatigue (mean FSS-score <4), moderate fatigue (mean FSS-score = 4-4.9) and severe fatigue (mean FSS-score ≥5). Patients who reported fatigue lasting longer than 3 months before the stroke were defined as having prestroke fatigue.


RESULTS
Pre-stroke fatigue was reported by 34 patients (30%). After stroke, 24% had severe fatigue, and fatigue was more common for women (57%). Controlling for sex and prestroke fatigue, the multivariate analysis showed that prestroke fatigue, lower physical function and depressive symptoms were related to post-stroke fatigue.


CONCLUSIONS
Pre-stroke fatigue and fatigue during the acute phase needs to be assessed in relation to physical functioning and depression during recovery and the rehabilitation process.
Department of Health Sciences, Buskerud University College, Drammen, Norway. Anners.Lerdal@ldh.no
Anners
A
Lerdal
Linda N
LN
Bakken
Eli F
EF
Rasmussen
Christer
C
Beiermann
Signy
S
Ryen
Solveig
S
Pynten
Ashild S
AS
Drefvelin
Anne M
AM
Dahl
Gunhild
G
Rognstad
Arnstein
A
Finset
Kathryn A
KA
Lee
Hesook Suzie
HS
Kim
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012890:Sleep; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*