EVALUATION OF FATIGUE IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom that experience patients with heart failure.  Objective: of the study was to assess factors associated with fatigue in hospitalized patients with heart failure.  Methods: In the present study, 60 hospitalized patients were enrolled. Data collection was performed by the method of the interview using the questionnaire of Fatigue (MFIS-Greek) and a questionnaire developed by the researchers of the study for the collection of demographic, clinical and other characteristics. Results: At least 50% of the patient’s scored below 69 (median) in the total fatigue score and below 41 and 28 for the physical and mental fatigue, respectively. These values indicate moderate to high effects of heart failure in the fatigue patient’s felt. Finally, it was found that patients who were a little or not at all informed about their state of health had 13.9 points higher score in total fatigue than patients who were very informed (p=0.018, 95%CI: 2.47, 25.34). Similarly, patients with insomnia had 11.11 points higher score in total fatigue than those without insomnia (p=0.034, 95%CI: 0.87, 21.34). As far as mental fatigue was concerned, patients who were enough informed about their state of health had 8.46 points higher score in mental fatigue than patients who were very informed (p=0.004, 95%CI: 2.78, 14.14). Conclusion: Assessment of fatigue is essential in order to provide holistic treatment to patients with heart failure.