Wayne State University College of Nursing, 5557 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
Support Care Cancer. 2013 Feb;21(2):609-17. doi: 10.1007/s00520-012-1555-z. Epub 2012 Aug 15.
Although sudden fatigue/exhaustion is a symptom expression that oncology clinicians frequently hear from their patients, empirical information about this phenomenon is limited. This study investigated the occurrence and characteristics of sudden fatigue in patients treated for breast cancer.
This cross-sectional descriptive study enrolled 114 breast cancer chemotherapy outpatients from a cancer clinic and an urban teaching hospital in the Midwestern United States. Subjects were screened for sudden fatigue and completed an investigator-developed Sudden Onset of Fatigue Questionnaire on the day of their chemotherapy treatment. Descriptive statistics were used to examine prevalence and clinical characteristics.
Approximately half (46 %) of the patients (age 31-67, 62 % Black, and 70 % unemployed) experienced sudden fatigue. The majority (81 %) reported more than one (median = 3) episode per day; 67 % of episodes lasted 60 min or less. The sudden fatigue was most likely (77 %) to occur between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., while individuals were active (94 %). When it occurred, individuals stopped activities and sought immediate rest. It was described as abrupt exhaustion/weakness often (66 %) accompanied by other symptoms. Fatigue intensity before, during, and after a specific episode were 5, 9, and 5, respectively, on 0-10 (highest) scale.
To better characterize sudden fatigue, a new descriptor, sudden exhaustion syndrome, which encompasses observed abrupt onset, transitory exhaustion/paralysis, and multiple symptoms, is proposed. Individuals may experience multiple occurrences of sudden exhaustion across a day, especially during activities. The syndrome needs to be recognized by oncology professionals. Patients should be educated about the syndrome to enhance sense of control and prevent harm.
尽管突然疲劳/疲惫是肿瘤临床医生经常从患者那里听到的症状表现，但关于这种现象的经验信息有限。本研究调查了接受乳腺癌治疗的患者中突然疲劳的发生和特征。
这项横断面描述性研究纳入了美国中西部一家癌症诊所和一家城市教学医院的 114 名乳腺癌化疗门诊患者。对受试者进行突然疲劳筛查，并在化疗治疗当天填写研究者开发的突发疲劳问卷。使用描述性统计数据来检查患病率和临床特征。
约一半（46%）的患者（年龄 31-67 岁，62%为黑人，70%失业）经历了突然疲劳。大多数（81%）报告每天发生不止一次（中位数=3 次）；67%的发作持续 60 分钟或更短。突然疲劳最有可能（77%）发生在上午 10 点至下午 5 点之间，而个体处于活动状态（94%）。当它发生时，个体停止活动并立即寻求休息。它被描述为突然的疲惫/虚弱，通常（66%）伴有其他症状。特定发作前后的疲劳强度分别为 5、9 和 5，范围为 0-10（最高）。
为了更好地描述突然疲劳，提出了一个新的描述符，即突然衰竭综合征，它包括观察到的突然发作、短暂的衰竭/瘫痪和多种症状。个体可能在一天内多次经历突然衰竭，尤其是在活动期间。该综合征需要由肿瘤专业人员识别。应向患者教育有关该综合征的知识，以增强控制感并防止伤害。
