Evaluation of Fatigue in Behçet's Syndrome; Relationship With Disease Activity, Clinical Manifestations, Anxiety, Depression, and Daily Living Activities

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess fatigue in patients with Behcet's Syndrome and to identify the relationship between fatigue and clinical signs, psychological status and activities of daily living in these patients. Material and Methods: Seventy-six Behcet's Syndrome (BS) patients who were diagnosed with at least one year and the same number of healthy control subjects with similar demographic features were included in the study. Multidimension Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) used for evaluation of fatigue in both groups. In addition, hospital depression and anxiety scale and short form 36 were filled by the patients. Results: A negative correlation between level of education and the degree and severity of fatigue was found, while there was a positive correlation between disease duration and degree and severity of fatigue, and the global score. Threre was correlation between clinical signs of Behcet's disease and some sub-groups of the MAF, however the global score was not significantly correlated. Statistically significant high scores of MAF values were found in patients with BS in comparison with the control group. There was a positive correlation between anxiety, depression and fatigue values in patients with BS. Negative correlation determined between all parameters of daily living quality (SF-36) and fatigue values of the patients. Conclusion: Fatigue is common in BS and closely associated with psychological status and affects negatively activities of daily living. Therefore, it should be taken into account in the evaluation of BS patients. Copyright © 2010 by Türk Tibbi Rehabilitasyon Kurumu Derneǧi.