Abstract:

Objective To study the relationship between fatigue and the indexes of nutritional, quality-of-life, inflammatory, and mental & emotional in patients with stable moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods In this prospective study, 30 patients(fatigue group) and 26 patients (non-fatigue group), who were in stable moderate COPD, were randomly enrolled according to the definition of general fatigue. The aiming was to compare the baseline data, the indexes of nutritional, quality-of-life, inflammatory, and mental & emotional. Results There was no significant difference in age, gender, smoking index between the two groups (all P>0.05). The indexes of albumin, hemoglobin, body mass, percent predicte forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)%, and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) in the fatigue group were significantly lower than those in the non-fatigue group (all P<0.05). COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), white blood cell (WBC), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Physical and mental tension relaxation test (PSTRT) were found to be higher in the fatigue group (all P<0.05). Conclusion Fatigue closely associated with the indexes of nutritional, quality-of-life, inflammatory, and mental & emotional in patients with stable moderate COPD, which is an important part of establishing multi-dimensional fatigue measurement for COPD patients.

Key words: pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive, fatigue, multi dimensional indicators