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The Treadmill Fatigue Test: A Simple, High-throughput Assay of Fatigue-like Behavior for the Mouse
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Cancer and Non-cancer Fatigue Treated With Bupropion: A Systematic Review
Juan Esteban Correa-Morales1, Laura Cuellar-Valencia1, Nidia Mantilla-Manosalva1
1Universidad de La Sabana, (J.E.C.M., L.C.-V., N.M.-M., E.Q.-M., M.F.I.-A., L.F.R.-C.) Bogotá D.C., Colombia; Colombian National Cancer Institute, (J.E.C.M., L.C.-V., N.M.-M.) Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
|October 5, 2022
Summary
Bupropion shows promise for treating cancer and non-cancer fatigue, with six of seven studies reporting significant symptom reduction and minimal adverse effects. Further high-quality trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Oncology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom in both cancer and non-cancer conditions, with limited pharmacological treatment options.
- Bupropion, a novel medication, has an unknown efficacy and safety profile for managing fatigue.
Approach:
- A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, EMBASE, and Ovid Medline databases up to July 26, 2022.
- Included studies were experimental and quasi-experimental, focusing on adult patients with cancer or non-cancer-related fatigue treated with bupropion and assessed using objective scales.
Key Points:
- Seven studies (N=584) were reviewed, investigating bupropion for cancer-related fatigue (5 studies) and non-cancer fatigue (2 studies).
- Six studies indicated that bupropion significantly reduced fatigue burden without major adverse effects.
- Study heterogeneity in fatigue assessment scales and low study quality necessitate cautious interpretation of results.
Conclusions:
- Bupropion may be an effective and safe option for managing fatigue in both cancer and non-cancer populations.
- Preliminary findings suggest bupropion's potential, but high-quality randomized controlled trials are essential to validate these results.
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