title: Post-stroke fatigue and return to work: a 2-year follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-stroke fatigue may affect the ability to return to work but quantitative studies are lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 83 first-ever stroke patients <60 years and employed either full-time (n = 77) or part-time (n = 6) at baseline. The patients were recruited from stroke units at Aarhus University Hospital between 2003 and 2005 and were followed for 2 years. Fatigue was assessed by the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory. Pathological fatigue was defined as a score ≥12 on the General Fatigue dimension. Return to paid work was defined as working at least 10 h per week. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 58% of patients had returned to paid work after 2 years. The adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) for returning to paid work was 0.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16-1.08) for patients with a General Fatigue score ≥12 at baseline. Persisting pathological fatigue after 2 years of follow-up was associated with a lower chance of returning to paid work [adjusted OR 0.29 (95% CI 0.11-0.74)]. Higher scores of General Fatigue at follow-up also correlated negatively with the chance of returning to paid work when analyzing fatigue on a continuous scale (adjusted OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80-0.94 for each point increase in General Fatigue).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-stroke fatigue appears to be an independent determinant of not being able to resume paid work following stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirkevold
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Johnsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020127:Recovery of Function; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D014937:Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation