title: Focus on fatigue amongst young adults with spastic cerebral palsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to assess fatigue amongst young adults with spastic cerebral palsy (CP), to determine subgroups at risk for fatigue and to explore the relationship between fatigue and cardiopulmonary fitness and daily physical activity level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Young adults with spastic CP, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I to III, aged 16 to 24 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale) and self-reported daily physical activity (Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities) were assessed for 56 participants using questionnaires. Daily physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometry (Vitamove system) over 72 hours. Progressive maximal aerobic cycling was used to measure cardiopulmonary fitness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) score was 3.7 (SD 1.4). Forty percent of participants were fatigued, including 12.5% who were severely fatigued. Participants with bilateral CP (FSS = 4.2 (SD 1.4)) were more fatigued compared to those with unilateral CP (FSS = 3.1 (SD 1.3)) (p < 0.01). Levels of cardiopulmonary fitness (2.4 L/min (SD 0.8)) and daily physical activity (8.5% (SD 3.0)) were not significantly related to fatigue (respectively p = 0.10 and p = 0.55), although for cardiopulmonary fitness a trend was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fatigue is already present at a relatively young age amongst adults with CP, and CP subtype is a determinant of fatigue. We did not find significant evidence for a cross-sectional relation of fatigue with cardiopulmonary fitness or daily physical activity.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nederland's trial register: NTR1785.
authors.forename: Heleen A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Russchen
authors.forename: Jorrit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slaman
authors.forename: Henk J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Stam
authors.forename: Frederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van Markus-Doornbosch
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. h.j.g.vandenberg@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Rita J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: van den Berg-Emons
authors.forename: Marij E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Roebroeck
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000293:Adolescent; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult