Real-time Fatigue and Free-Living Physical Activity in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Cancer Survivors and Healthy Controls: A Preliminary Examination of the Temporal, Dynamic Relationship.

This was a pilot study with only 25 HCT survivors and 25 healthy controls, so the results are preliminary. This was the first report of the method linking real-time fatigue ratings with free-living activity counts, and the authors say the findings must be interpreted with caution. The study used one global 0-10 fatigue rating, so it did not measure the multidimensional nature of fatigue. Eligibility was screened by telephone and self-report, and participants had to be able to walk without assistance, so the findings may not apply to people who need help to walk or who had severe graft-versus-host disease or steroid use for another condition. The study observed relationships over time; it did not test whether reducing fatigue increases activity or whether increasing activity reduces fatigue.

The authors disclosed no conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not state a funding source.

Do not conclude that treating fatigue will increase physical activity or that exercise will reduce fatigue. This was an observational pilot, not a treatment trial, and it mainly showed that higher fatigue ratings were followed by lower activity counts.