Systematic review: the impact of inflammatory bowel disease-related fatigue on health-related quality of life

Radford, Shellie J.; McGing, Jordan; Czuber-Dochan, Wladyslawa; Moran, Gordon

Abstract

Background: Fatigue is frequently reported in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and impacts on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). HRQoL has not been systematically reviewed in IBD fatigue.

Aim: To investigate what impact IBD fatigue has on HRQoL in adults with IBD.

Methods: Systematic searches (CINAHL, EMBASE, PsychInfo, Medline) were conducted 25.09.2018, restricted to ‘human’, ‘adult’, ‘primary research’ and ‘English language’. Search terms encompassed concepts of ‘Fatigue’, ‘IBD’ and ‘HRQoL’. A 5 year time limit (2013-2018) was set to include the most relevant publications. Publications were screened, data extracted, and quality appraised by two authors. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results: Eleven studies were included, presenting data from 2823 participants. Fatigue experiences were significantly related to three HRQoL areas: symptom acceptance, psychosocial wellbeing, and physical activity. Patients reporting high fatigue levels had low symptom acceptance. Psychosocial factors were strongly associated with both, fatigue and HRQoL. Higher social support levels were associated with higher HRQoL. Physical activity was impaired by higher fatigue levels, lowering HRQoL, but it was also used as a means of reducing fatigue and improving HRQoL. Quality appraisal revealed methodological shortcomings in a number of studies. Notably use of multiple measures, comparison without statistical adjustment and fatigue and HRQoL assessment using the same tool.

Citation

Radford, S. J., McGing, J., Czuber-Dochan, W., & Moran, G. (2021). Systematic review: the impact of inflammatory bowel disease-related fatigue on health-related quality of life. Frontline Gastroenterology, 12(1), 11-21. https://doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2019-101355

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 7, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jan 24, 2020
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Deposit Date: Jan 8, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 13, 2020
• Journal: Frontline Gastroenterology
• Print ISSN: 2041-4137
• Electronic ISSN: 2041-4145
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 11-21
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/flgastro-2019-101355
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3688694
• Publisher URL: https://fg.bmj.com/content/early/2020/01/24/flgastro-2019-101355