title: Functional limitations due to fatigue among independently ambulant stroke survivors in Osun, South-Western Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Functional limitations in stroke survivors are sometimes associated with fatigue. This study assessed the functional limitations due to fatigue in community-dwelling stroke survivors undergoing physiotherapy. The differences in functional limitations due to fatigue were determined between sexes, stroke types, sides of affectation, age categories and levels of disability. Relationships between functional limitation due to fatigue and these variables were also determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study involving 63 stroke survivors (35 male survivors and 28 female survivors) with ages ranging from 45 to 79 years (mean = 53.68 ± 10.95 years). Functional limitation due to fatigue was assessed with the modified fatigue impact scale (MFIS). Modified Rankin scale was used to categorize the disability of the participants. Data were analysed using descriptive (mean, standard deviation, percentage and frequency) and inferential (Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman correlation analysis) statistics. Significance was set at 0.05 α level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean MFIS score was 31.74 ± 12.39. Many participants (58.7%) had moderate functional limitations due to fatigue. The result of Mann-Whitney U-test showed significant difference in functional limitation due to fatigue between participants with slight disability and those with moderate disability (p = 0.000), with participants with moderate disability having higher MFIS scores (more functional limitations). There was also a significant correlation between functional limitation due to fatigue and level of disability (ρ = 0.625, p = 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional limitation due to fatigue occurs frequently in stroke survivors and is related to level of disability. Functional limitations due to fatigue should be assessed frequently in all stroke survivors with varying degrees of disability and the outcome should be considered during rehabilitation and retraining of physical function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adebimpe O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Obembe
authors.forename: Matthew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Olaogun
authors.forename: Alaba E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Olalemi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010045:Outpatients; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: disability; fatigue; functional assessment; stroke