TY - JOUR
T1 - Fatigue in children and adolescents after burns
T2 - evaluating the problem using longitudinal data
AU - Cramer-Kruit, Jessica J. J.
AU - Akkerman, Moniek
AU - Mouton, Leonora J.
AU - Niemeijer, Anuschka S.
AU - Spek, Bea
AU - Scholten-Jaegers, Sonja M. H. J.
AU - van der Woude, Lucas H. V.
AU - Nieuwenhuis, Marianne K.
N1 - Funding Information: This study was carried out using the (Dutch version of the) PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, originally developed by Dr. James W. Varni. We would like to thank all the children and parents who participated in this study, and the research groups and physical therapists of the Maasstad Hospital Rotterdam and the Red Cross Hospital Beverwijk for their contribution to the data collection. Furthermore, we are grateful to the Dutch Burns Foundation for their financial support, the Dutch Burn Repository Group, for their contribution to the Dutch Burn Repository, and, accordingly, the Dutch Burns Foundation, Red Cross Hospital Beverwijk, Maasstad Hospital Rotterdam, and Martini Hospital Groningen for their support to the Dutch Burn Repository. TM Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Purpose: Describe prevalence and severity of fatigue in children and adolescents with burns during six months after hospital discharge, identify potential explanatory variables, and examine the relationship with exercise capacity. Materials and Methods: Fatigue was assessed using the Pediatric-Quality-of-Life-Inventory-Multidimensional-Fatigue-Scale (PedsQL-MFS) at discharge, and six weeks, three-, and six months after discharge. PedsQL-MFS scores ≥1 SD below the age-group specific non-burned reference mean were considered to signify fatigue. Results: Twenty-two children and adolescents (13 boys/9 girls, age 6–18 years, with burns covering 2–34% of total body surface area) were included. The prevalence of fatigue decreased from 65% (11/17) at discharge to 28% (5/18) six months after discharge. At group level, fatigue severity decreased over time, reaching healthy reference values from six weeks after discharge and beyond. At individual level, the course of fatigue severity varied widely. Fatigue severity at six months after discharge could not be predicted by age, sex, or burn severity (p = 0.51, p = 0.58, p = 0.95, respectively). The association with exercise capacity was weak (r = 0.062–0.538). Conclusions: More than a quarter of pediatric burn patients reported fatigue six months after discharge. Further research in larger populations is required, including also the impact of burn-related fatigue on daily functioning and quality of life.Trial registration number: OND1353942Implications for rehabilitation Fatigue should be recognized as a potential consequence of (pediatric) burns, even several months post burn Fatigue should be assessed regularly after discharge in all children and adolescents with burns, as it seems not possible to predict its severity from age, sex, or burn severity characteristics The weak association between exercise capacity and self-reported fatigue suggests that burn-related fatigue is not simply a consequence of a reduced exercise capacity.
AB - Purpose: Describe prevalence and severity of fatigue in children and adolescents with burns during six months after hospital discharge, identify potential explanatory variables, and examine the relationship with exercise capacity. Materials and Methods: Fatigue was assessed using the Pediatric-Quality-of-Life-Inventory-Multidimensional-Fatigue-Scale (PedsQL-MFS) at discharge, and six weeks, three-, and six months after discharge. PedsQL-MFS scores ≥1 SD below the age-group specific non-burned reference mean were considered to signify fatigue. Results: Twenty-two children and adolescents (13 boys/9 girls, age 6–18 years, with burns covering 2–34% of total body surface area) were included. The prevalence of fatigue decreased from 65% (11/17) at discharge to 28% (5/18) six months after discharge. At group level, fatigue severity decreased over time, reaching healthy reference values from six weeks after discharge and beyond. At individual level, the course of fatigue severity varied widely. Fatigue severity at six months after discharge could not be predicted by age, sex, or burn severity (p = 0.51, p = 0.58, p = 0.95, respectively). The association with exercise capacity was weak (r = 0.062–0.538). Conclusions: More than a quarter of pediatric burn patients reported fatigue six months after discharge. Further research in larger populations is required, including also the impact of burn-related fatigue on daily functioning and quality of life.Trial registration number: OND1353942Implications for rehabilitation Fatigue should be recognized as a potential consequence of (pediatric) burns, even several months post burn Fatigue should be assessed regularly after discharge in all children and adolescents with burns, as it seems not possible to predict its severity from age, sex, or burn severity characteristics The weak association between exercise capacity and self-reported fatigue suggests that burn-related fatigue is not simply a consequence of a reduced exercise capacity.
KW - Pediatric burns
KW - PedsQL MFS
KW - exercise capacity
KW - fatigue
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85171559077&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2023.2232729
DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2023.2232729
M3 - Article
C2 - 37723860
SN - 0963-8288
JO - Disability and rehabilitation
JF - Disability and rehabilitation
ER -