Factors contributing to chronic fatigue after traumatic brain injury.
Kata kunci
Abstrak
BACKGROUND
The annual incidence of traumatic brain injury in Europe amounts to 235 per 100 000 persons. About two-thirds will develop posttraumatic brain injury chronic fatigue (pTBI-CF).
OBJECTIVE
To identify the reversible hormonal and nonhormonal causes of pTBI-CF.
METHODS
Ninety patients with varying degrees of pTBI-CF underwent endocrine testing and an evaluation of sleep, attention, coping style, daily activity and dependency, physical performance, emotional well-being, and quality of life.
RESULTS
Vitamin D deficiency was found in 65%, poor sleep quality in 54%, anxiety disorders in 36%, growth hormone deficiency in 16%, and gonadal hormone deficiencies in 9%. Fatigue severity was correlated with poor sleep (R = +0.65, P < .0001), serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels (R = -0.50, P < .0001), and anxiety (R = +0.50, P < .0001) but not with growth hormone deficiency or gonadal hormone deficiencies. The first 3 factors together explained 59% of the fatigue score variance.
CONCLUSIONS
Poor sleep, vitamin D deficiency, and anxiety were the most important factors associated with pTBI-CF. Appropriate treatment of these disorders may help to reduce fatigue in these patients.
