PCSM-03PHYSICAL DISABILITY AND ANXIETY ARE INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF FATIGUE IN STABLE PRIMARY BRAIN TUMOUR PATIENTS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is the most common symptom reported by primary brain tumour patients; causes are multi-factorial. The aim of the study was to further explore fatigue in relation to co-occurring symptoms. METHOD(S): A single-centre cross-sectional prospective study design was used. Inclusion criteria were: histological diagnosis of a primary brain tumour, >= 18 years, stable disease, able to provide informed consent, and treatment-free for 3 months prior to participation. NHS ethical approval was obtained. Objective and subjective measures were used to assess fatigue (BFI), cognition (HVLT-R, COWA, Trail Making Test, IQ), sleep (Actigraphy, Epworth Sleepiness Scale), mood (HADS) and physical function (EDSS, nine hole peg test, 10m walk). RESULT(S): Eighty-five patients with a primary brain tumour were recruited; 16% reported severe fatigue (M age = 49.8, SD = 13.3), 48% reported moderate fatigue (M age = 48.3, SD = 9.6), 33% reported mild fatigue (M age = 46.9, SD = 12.1). Fatigue severity was significantly positively related to anxiety (p = 0.008), depression (p =< 0.0001), daily activity percentage (p = 0.035), information processing speed (p = 0.0006), physical impairment (p =< 0.0001) and the use of non-enzyme inducing anti-epileptic drugs (p = 0.011). Using multivariate logistic regression, physical function (p = 0.0003) and anxiety (p = 0.017) were found to be independent predictors of fatigue. CONCLUSION(S): Fatigue continues to be prevalent in primary brain tumour patients. As previously found, fatigue co-occurs with other symptoms. Physical disability and anxiety predict fatigue. Screening for fatigue and other symptoms may help to determine avenues for physical interventions and/or psychological interventions.