Multifactorial Nature of Fatigue in North Indian Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Clinical Medicine
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Fatigue is a prevalent and debilitating symptom in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
• Understanding the contributing factors to RA fatigue is crucial for effective patient management.
• Current knowledge on the multifactorial nature of RA fatigue requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between fatigue and several factors in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis.
• To evaluate the roles of disease activity, pain, sleep quality, and vitamin D levels in RA-related fatigue.
• To identify key mediators of fatigue for improved holistic treatment strategies in RA.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 204 Rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• Assessment of fatigue using the Fatigue Condition Questionnaire (CFQ-11).
• Measurement of disease activity (DAS 28 ESR), pain and sleep impairment (VAS), and vitamin D levels (enzyme chemiluminescence immunoassay), followed by logistic regression analysis.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of fatigue (66.2%) was observed in the study cohort.
• Vitamin D deficiency was strongly associated with fatigue in RA patients (OR 6.38).
• Disease activity and sleep impairment also showed significant associations with fatigue (OR 1.714 and 1.038, respectively).

Conclusions:

• Fatigue in Rheumatoid arthritis is multifactorial, influenced by both disease-related and non-disease-related factors.
• Vitamin D deficiency emerges as a significant non-disease-related factor contributing to RA fatigue.
• Addressing disease activity, sleep quality, and vitamin D levels may be key to managing fatigue in RA.