The relationship between cancer-related fatigue, quality of life and pain among cancer patients.
Dun Liu, Jin-Sen Weng, Xi Ke and 2 others
PMID 36860712WHAT IT FOUND
Cancer patients with pain often reported fatigue and moderate quality of life.
Fatigue and quality of life were linked in patients with moderate or severe pain, but not in patients with mild pain.
Key findings
01Fatigue severity was reported as mild in 92 patients, moderate in 72 patients, and severe in 60 patients.
02Pain was significantly associated with fatigue (r = 0.296, P < 0.01) and with quality of life (r = -0.141, P < 0.01).
03Fatigue and quality of life were not significantly associated in mild pain (r = -0.179, P = 0.104), but were significantly associated in moderate and severe pain (r = -0.537, P < 0.01; r = -0.509, P < 0.05).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used convenience sampling and was done in only two hospitals, so the patients may not represent all cancer patients. It was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that pain causes fatigue or that treating pain improves quality of life. No sensitive physiological indicators of pain or fatigue were measured. The analysis focused only on pain and fatigue, not other symptoms or interactions among symptoms. Data were collected by ward nurses who also provided information and support, which may have influenced patients' reported symptoms.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. The study was funded by Fujian provincial science and technology projects.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that better pain control will reduce fatigue or improve quality of life. This was a one-time survey of patients already having pain, so it shows association only.