FATIGUE IN PATIENTS WITH SARCOIDOSIS

Maria Zakka, Panagiota Aroniada

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Publication year:

2023

Authors:

• Zakka Maria, Student in ΜSc in “Applied Clinical Nursing. Nursing” in specialization “Pathological Nursing”, Department of Nursing, University of West Attica
• Aroniada Panagiota, Student in ΜSc in “Applied Clinical Nursing. Nursing” in specialization “Pathological Nursing”, Department of Nursing, University of West Attica

Keywords index:

• Sarcoidosis
• fatigueassociated factors

Pages: 330-337

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.13208301

Abstract:

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of unknown etiology characterized by the formation of granulomas in various organs. The incidence of the disease is high in the Nordic countries and is maximum in the 3rd to 5th decade of life. Fatigue is a subjective symptom of patients, which provides information about the course of the disease, the levels of functioning and the quality of patients’ life.The aim of the present review was to explore the fatigue experienced by patients with sarcoidosis. Methodology: A literature review was conducted of studies published in the online databases PubMed and Scopus. The search language was English and publications from 2011 to 2023 were studied. The keywords used were: "Fatigue, Clinical manifestations, Diagnosis". Results: According to the literature, 50-80% of patients with sarcoidosis experience physical and mental fatigue. The etiology of this bothersome, subjective symptom remains unclear and is usually multifactorial. Fatigue may be a consequence of the treatment itself, including corticosteroid therapy. Equally important factors that contribute to the manifestation of fatigue are comorbidities, mental disorders (anxiety, depression) and changes in sleep patterns. The intensity and duration of fatigue varies according to the granulomatous process. Muscle-strengthening exercises increase patients' energy levels to some extent. The Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) was used in the majority of international research studies to measure fatigue. The alleviation of sarcoidosis-related fatigue requires extensive and systematic investigation to assess and treat possible reversible causes. Conclusions: Fatigue is a subjective and multidimensional symptom with diverse personal, physical and behavioral dimensions. However, the number of available research data on the treatment of fatigue in patients with sarcoidosis is limited.