Immediate effects of exercise intervention on cancer-related fatigue.
Ryutaro Matsugaki, Toru Akebi, Hideo Shitama and 2 others
PMID 29545690WHAT IT FOUND
Hospitalized cancer patients had lower total fatigue scores on average immediately after exercise, but four worsened and two were unchanged and there was no control group.
Key findings
01After a 20 to 40 minute session, total fatigue scores fell from 23.7 to 20.3, and the difference was significant.
02Physical fatigue scores fell from 10.9 to 8.3, and the difference was significant.
03Fatigue did not improve for everyone among 18 patients: 12 improved, 4 worsened, and 2 were unchanged.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
There was no control group, so changes unrelated to exercise could have affected fatigue scores. Patients were receiving radiation therapy or chemotherapy at the same time, so the study cannot separate the effect of exercise from ongoing cancer treatment. Only 18 patients were analysed. Two patients did not take part in exercise therapy, one had reduced cognitive function, and three had missing fatigue data. Patients were excluded if they had difficulty performing exercise therapy or if fatigue could not be assessed, so results do not apply to those patients. The study did not account for time of day or physical condition when fatigue was measured. Patients had different cancers and treatments, and the study did not explain how exercise reduced fatigue. The study measured only immediately before and after exercise, not longer-term effects.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the significant drop in total fatigue scores as proof that exercise therapy caused the reduction. The study had no control group, and patients were receiving radiation therapy or chemotherapy at the same time.