Measurement of Cancer-Related Fatigue Based on Heart Rate Variability: Observational Study.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology
• Physiology

Background:

• Cancer-related fatigue significantly impacts patient quality of life.
• Current assessment relies on subjective patient self-reports (e.g., Brief Fatigue Inventory - BFI), which are often underreported.
• There is a need for objective methods to track cancer-related fatigue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an objective method for assessing cancer-related fatigue in patients undergoing cancer treatment.
• To correlate objective physiological data with subjective fatigue scores.

Main Methods:

• 12 lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or targeted therapy were enrolled.
• A wearable device measured heart rate variability (HRV) parameters (LF, HF, LF-HF ratio) over 7 days.
• Patients also completed the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)-Taiwan version questionnaire.
• Statistical analysis mapped correlations between HRV and BFI scores.

Main Results:

• A moderate positive correlation (ρ=0.86) was found between the LF-HF ratio during the sleep phase and BFI scores.
• The developed BFI mapping method accurately approximated patient self-reported BFI scores.
• The mean absolute error between subjective and objective BFI scores was 3%.

Conclusions:

• The LF-HF ratio derived from HRV is a reliable objective indicator of cancer-related fatigue in lung cancer patients.
• Continuous HRV monitoring can differentiate active and sleep phases, offering insights into sleep patterns.
• This objective approach enhances fatigue monitoring for patients undergoing chemotherapy or targeted therapy.