title: Techniques in assessing fatigue in neuromuscular diseases.
abstract: Fatigue is common in neuromuscular disease and it may affect quality of life; however, it has not been adequately studied. We can approach fatigue in neuromuscular diseases systematically. Questionnaires are used to assess subjective or experienced fatigue, and with the wide availability of the Internet, many patients can fill out questionnaires through Web-based surveys. Researchers can use force-generation protocols to evaluate physical fatigability and attention protocols to evaluate mental fatigability. Using these techniques to further understand the mechanisms of subjective and physiologic fatigue will help physicians to develop more effective treatments for fatigue and improve patients' quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. Louja@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Jau-Shin
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lou
mesh_terms: D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D005222:Mental Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation