title: Effects of Dexamethasone and Placebo on Symptom Clusters in Advanced Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Advanced cancer patients frequently experience debilitating symptoms that occur in clusters, but few pharmacological studies have targeted symptom clusters. Our objective was to examine the effects of dexamethasone on symptom clusters in patients with advanced cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the data from a previous randomized clinical trial to determine the effects of dexamethasone on cancer symptoms. Symptom clusters were identified according to baseline symptoms by using principal component analysis. Correlations and change in the severity of symptom clusters were analyzed after study treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 114 participants were included in this study. Three clusters were identified: fatigue/anorexia-cachexia/depression (FAD), sleep/anxiety/drowsiness (SAD), and pain/dyspnea (PD). Changes in severity of FAD and PD significantly correlated over time (at baseline, day 8, and day 15). The FAD cluster was associated with significant improvement in severity at day 8 and day 15, whereas no significant change was observed with the SAD cluster or PD cluster after dexamethasone treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this preliminary study suggest significant correlation over time and improvement in the FAD cluster at day 8 and day 15 after treatment with dexamethasone. These findings suggest that fatigue, anorexia-cachexia, and depression may share a common pathophysiologic basis. Further studies are needed to investigate this cluster and target anti-inflammatory therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA syennu@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: Sriram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yennurajalingam
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chisholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bruera
mesh_terms: D000855:Anorexia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010919:Placebos / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects*; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D003907:Dexamethasone
keywords: Cytokines; Dexamethasone; Interventions; Principal component analysis; Symptom clusters