Comparing comorbidity measures and fatigue post myocardial infarction.
Carolyn E Horne, Sharona Johnson, Patricia B Crane
PMID 30683244WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults 6 to 8 months after a myocardial infarction who reported more other health problems also reported more fatigue.
The self-reported comorbidity count, not the medication validated count, was linked to fatigue.
Key findings
01Participants reported 2 to 11 comorbid conditions, with a mean of 5.2.
02Participants with more comorbidities had higher fatigue scores.
03Self-reported comorbidity was the only measure linked to fatigue in this sample.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a single cross-sectional study with a small convenience sample from one region of the eastern United States, so the results may not apply broadly. Fatigue and comorbidities were measured at one time point, so the study cannot show which came first or whether comorbidities caused fatigue. The sample included only English-speaking adults at least 65 years old who were discharged alive with myocardial infarction and could give consent. The study did not distinguish whether the myocardial infarction was STEMI or NSTEMI. The study did not examine which specific comorbid condition contributed to fatigue. No intervention was tested, so the study cannot show how to reduce fatigue.
Declared interests
The authors noted no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating comorbidities will reduce fatigue. This was a cross-sectional study with no intervention, and only self-reported comorbidity was linked to fatigue in the analysis.