Fatigue in Chinese Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Associated Factors and Impact on Quality of Life.

objectivesFatigue was considered as a common symptom in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Previous studies about the impact of fatigue on Quality of Life (QoL) in patients with ALS were limited and inconsistent. Besides, a systematic investigation of fatigue in Chinese patients with ALS was lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the frequency and associated factors of fatigue and impact on QoL in Chinese patients with ALS. PARTICIPANTS AND

methodsProbable and definitive patients with ALS and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) were consecutively recruited. The frequency of fatigue between both the groups was determined by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Disease severity, sleep quality, sleepiness, anxiety, depression, and QoL were evaluated in patients with ALS by the ALS Functional Rating Scale-revised (ALSFRS-R) and the ALS Severity Scale (ALSSS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL). Then, clinical characteristics of patients with ALS with fatigue were compared with those without fatigue. Lastly, associated factors of fatigue and impact on QoL in Chinese patients with ALS were assessed.

resultsA total of 175 patients with ALS and 175 HCs were included. Fatigue was significantly more frequent in patients with ALS than in controls (32.6 vs. 17.7%,

conclusionThis study has described fatigue in Chinese patients with ALS and finding daytime dysfunction and the lower ALSSS (LE + UE) were associated with a higher risk of fatigue. Also, we identified an inverse relationship of fatigue intensity with the psychological domain of QoL.