Fatigue as a presenting complaint in family practice

Area of Science:

• Family Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• General Practice

Background:

• Fatigue is a common presenting complaint in primary care.
• Understanding the factors associated with fatigue is crucial for effective diagnosis and management.
• Previous studies have explored various causes, but a comprehensive analysis within a family medicine setting is warranted.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the demographic, diagnostic, and etiological characteristics of patients presenting with isolated fatigue.
• To identify potential correlations between fatigue duration, patient demographics, family structure, and final diagnoses.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records of 176 patients with an isolated diagnosis of fatigue.
• Data collected from four private family practices and a university family medicine center over 12 months.
• Analysis of variables including age, sex, family structure, diagnostic tests, symptom duration, and final diagnosis.

Main Results:

• Women (66%) predominated, particularly in the 15-34 age group. Single individuals were overrepresented compared to family members.
• Fatigue exceeding four months correlated with psychological diagnoses, while shorter durations (<4 months) were more often linked to physical causes.
• Physical problems accounted for just over half of diagnoses, with prolonged viral syndrome being most common. Psychological diagnoses were more frequent in women within family units.

Conclusions:

• Fatigue presentation varies significantly based on symptom duration and patient psychosocial context.
• Family physicians should consider both physical and psychological etiologies, as well as symptom duration, when evaluating fatigue.
• Improved documentation of patient-physician discussions regarding fatigue origins is recommended.