The Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Fatigue Severity in Individuals with Chronic Diseases: A...

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the effects of high-intensity interval training on fatigue severity in individuals with chronic diseases.

A literature search was conducted across seven databases. Randomized controlled trials comparing changes in fatigue severity, measured using validated fatigue scales, between high-intensity interval training and no exercise or moderate-intensity continuous training in individuals with chronic diseases were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE framework.

Seventeen trials involving 717 participants were included. Compared with no exercise, high-intensity interval training was associated with a small reduction in fatigue severity (standardized mean difference =-0.31, 95% confidence interval -0.61 to -0.01; I²=54%; N=10 studies; n=468 participants; very low certainty of evidence). Compared with moderate-intensity continuous training, the pooled difference in fatigue severity was less than small (standardized mean difference =-0.09, 95% confidence interval -0.37 to 0.19; N=8; n=315).

High-intensity interval training may represent a potential exercise strategy for fatigue management in individuals with chronic diseases. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to further evaluate its effects on fatigue severity in these populations.