Jelsness-Jørgensen LP, Bernklev T, Henriksen M, Torp R, Moum B. Chronic fatigue is associated with increased disease-related worries and concerns in inflammatory bowel disease. World J Gastroenterol 2012; 18(5): 445-452 [PMID: 22346250 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i5.445]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Dr. Lars-Petter Jelsness-Jørgensen, Department of Gastroenterology, Østfold Hospital Trust, Cicig-nongt 19, N-1603, 1603 Fredrikstad, Norway. l.p.jelsness-jorgensen@medisin.uio.no
Article-Type of This Article
Brief Article
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Lars-Petter Jelsness-Jørgensen, Department of Gastroenterology, Oslo University Hospital Aker and Østfold Hospital Trust, 1603 Fredrikstad, Norway
Tomm Bernklev, Department of Research, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
Magne Henriksen, Department of Gastroenterology, Østfold Hospital Trust, 1603 Fredrikstad, Norway
Roald Torp, Department of Gastroenterology, Innlandet Hospital Trust, 2380 Brummundal, Norway
Bjørn Moum, Department of Gastroenterology, Oslo University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0586 Oslo, Norway
Author contributions: Jelsness-Jørgensen LP gathered the data, analysed it and wrote the manuscript; Henriksen M and Torp R contributed to the data gathering and analysis, and checked the final version of the manuscript for intellectual content; Bernklev T contributed to the design of the study, the analysis and the manuscript preparation; Moum B contributed to the design of the study, gathering data, the analysis and the manuscript preparation.
Supported by Oslo University Hospital Aker; Østfold Hospital Trust; and Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Correspondence to: Dr. Lars-Petter Jelsness-Jørgensen, Department of Gastroenterology, Østfold Hospital Trust, Cicig-nongt 19, N-1603, 1603 Fredrikstad, Norway. l.p.jelsness-jorgensen@medisin.uio.no
Telephone: +47-69-303024 Fax: +47-69-861173
Received: February 5, 2011 Revised: June 16, 2011 Accepted: June 23, 2011 Published online: February 7, 2012
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the impact of chronic fatigue on disease-related worries in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the potential multicolinearity between subjective questionnaires.
METHODS: Patients in remission or with mild-to-moderate disease activity completed the fatigue questionnaire (FQ), the rating form of IBD patient concerns (RFIPC), the Short-Form 36 (SF-36), and IBD questionnaire (N-IBDQ). In addition, clinical and epidemiological data were obtained.
RESULTS: In total, 140 patients were included; of which 92 were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and 48 with Crohn’s disease. The mean age of patients with chronic fatigue was 44.2 years (SD = 15.8) and for non-fatigued patients was 44.7 years (SD = 16.0). Chronic fatigued patients had clinically significantly increased levels of disease-related worries, as measured by Cohen’s d effect size. Worries about having an ostomy bag, loss of bowel control, and energy levels were most prominent in both chronic fatigued and non-chronic fatigued IBD patients. Variance inflation factor (VIF) and tolerance indicated that there were no problematic multicolinearity among the FQ, RFIPC, SF-36 and N-IBDQ responses (VIF < 5 and tolerance > 2).
CONCLUSION: Chronic fatigue is associated with increased levels of disease-related worries and concerns in IBD. Increased levels of worries were also associated with impaired health-related quality of life.
