title: Fatigue in Older Adults Postmyocardial Infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine putative factors that may independently contribute to fatigue and subsequent persistence of fatigue in elderly adults 6-8 months post-myocardial infarction (MI). Studies suggest cardiac function, comorbidities, daytime sleepiness, depression, anemia, interleukins, and social support are correlates of fatigue; however, no studies have systematically examined these factors 6 months post-MI in an aging population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants included 49 women and men (N = 98) ages 65-91 who were 6-8 months post-MI. Data collection included the demographic health status questionnaire (heart rate, blood pressure, body mass index, and medications), fatigue-related comorbidity scale, revised Piper fatigue scale, Epworth sleepiness scale, geriatric depression scale, social provisions scale, and venous blood tests (B-natriuretic peptide, hemoglobin, and interleukin-6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fatigue persisted after MI in 76% of older men and women with no difference by sex. Only depression scores (P trend = 0.0004) and mean arterial pressure (P trend = 0.015) were found to be linearly independent predictors for fatigue, controlling for age, Il-6 levels, and body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-MI depression and mean arterial blood pressure are important to assess when examining fatigue post-MI in older populations.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, East Carolina University , Greenville, NC , USA.
authors.forename: Patricia Barton
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, East Carolina University , Greenville, NC , USA.
authors.forename: Jimmy T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Efird
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Charlotte , Charlotte, NC , USA.
authors.forename: Willie Mae
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Abel
keywords: aging; fatigue; myocardial infarction