Fatigue and its relationship with disease-related factors in patients with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND/AIM Fatigue is very common symptom in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and adversely affects health-related quality of life and the ability to perform daily living activities. This study aims to determine the severity of fatigue and its related factors in patients with SSc. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 35 patients with SSc (6 males / 29 females, mean age 50.71 ± 10.09 years) and 35 healthy control subjects (8 males / 27 females, mean age 54.14 ± 9.51 years) were included. The Fatigue Impact Scale for fatigue, Modified Medical Research Council Scale for dyspnea severity, 6-Minute Walking Test for functional capacity, Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index, Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire and Short Form-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire for health-related quality of life were used in subjects? EVALUATIONS Furthermore, pulmonary functions, diffusion capacity, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength were evaluated. RESULTS Eighty percent of the SSc patients experienced fatigue and represented higher total and cognitive, physical, psychosocial subscale of fatigue score than healthy control subjects (p < 0.05). Also, SSc patients exhibited significantly increased dyspnea severity, impaired pulmonary function-diffusion capacity, decreased respiratory-peripheral muscle strength, reduced functional capacity and worsened health-related quality of life compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Fatigue of SSc group was significantly associated with age, dyspnea severity, diffusion capacity, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, functional capacity and health-related quality of life (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Along with the decrease in diffusion capacity, increase dyspnea, a decrease in both peripheral and respiratory muscle strength and worsening functional capacity may have an effect on increased fatigue in SSc patients. Increased fatigue can also affect patients' life quality and daily life activities. Therefore, we recommend multidisciplinary approaches to evaluate and improve these parameters in the treatment of fatigue from the early period in SSc patients.