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Acupoint Application as a Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Fatigue Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: September 5, 2025
Fatigue with systolic heart failure
Anne M Fink1, Shawna L Sullivan, Julie J Zerwic
1Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612-7350, USA.
The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
|August 27, 2009
Summary
Patients with heart failure (HF) experience significant fatigue, comparable to cancer patients. Low physical functioning, depressed mood, and low hemoglobin levels contribute to this fatigue in HF patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Fatigue is a primary symptom in systolic heart failure (HF).
- Limited understanding of the physiological and psychosocial factors contributing to HF fatigue.
- Need for validated tools to assess fatigue in HF patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate psychometric properties of two fatigue questionnaires in HF patients.
- Compare fatigue levels in HF patients with healthy adults and cancer patients.
- Identify physiological and psychosocial correlates of fatigue in HF.
Main Methods:
- Convenience sample of 87 HF outpatients from two urban medical centers.
- Utilized Fatigue Symptom Inventory, Profile of Mood States, and SF-36 Health Survey.
- Correlational analysis to identify factors associated with fatigue.
Main Results:
- HF patients reported fatigue levels similar to cancer patients, and significantly higher than healthy adults.
- Physical functioning and hemoglobin explained 30% of variance in Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Interference Scale scores.
- Depressed mood and physical functioning explained 47% of variance in Profile of Mood States Fatigue subscale scores.
Conclusions:
- HF-related fatigue is substantial and comparable to cancer-related fatigue.
- Low physical functioning, depressed mood, and low hemoglobin are associated with HF fatigue.
- Findings highlight the importance of addressing both physical and psychological aspects in managing HF fatigue.
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