Frequency of fatigue and its changes in the first 6 months after traumatic brain injury: results from the CENTER-TBI study
Authors: Andelic Nada , Røe Cecilie , Brunborg Cathrine , Zeldovich Marina , Løvstad Marianne , Løke Daniel , Borgen Ida M. , Voormolen Daphne C. , Howe Emilie I. , Forslund Marit V. , Dahl Hilde M. , von Steinbuechel Nicole ,   CENTER-TBI participants investigators, Åkerlund Cecilia , Amrein Krisztina , Andelic Nada , Andreassen Lasse , Anke Audny , Antoni Anna , Audibert Gérard , Azouvi Philippe , Azzolini Maria Luisa , Bartels Ronald , Barzó Pál , Beauvais Romuald , Beer Ronny , Bellander Bo-Michael , Belli Antonio , Benali Habib , Berardino Maurizio , Beretta Luigi , Blaabjerg Morten , Bragge Peter , Brazinova Alexandra , Brinck Vibeke , Brooker Joanne , Brorsson Camilla , Buki Andras , Bullinger Monika , Cabeleira Manuel , Caccioppola Alessio , Calappi Emiliana , Calvi Maria Rosa , Cameron Peter , Lozano Guillermo Carbayo , Carbonara Marco , Cavallo Simona , Chevallard Giorgio , Chieregato Arturo , Citerio Giuseppe , Ceyisakar Iris , Clusmann Hans , Coburn Mark , Coles Jonathan , Cooper Jamie D , Correia Marta , Čović Amra , Curry Nicola , Czeiter Endre , Czosnyka Marek , Dahyot-Fizelier Claire , Dark Paul , Dawes Helen , Keyser Véronique , Degos Vincent , Corte Francesco Della , Boogert Hugo , Depreitere Bart , Đilvesi Đula , Dixit Abhishek , Donoghue Emma , Dreier Jens , Dulière Guy -Loup , Ercole Ari , Esser Patrick , Ezer Erzsébet , Fabricius Martin , Feigin Valery L , Foks Kelly , Frisvold Shirin , Furmanov Alex , Gagliardo Pablo , Galanaud Damien , Gantner Dashiell , Gao Guoyi , George Pradeep , Ghuysen Alexandre , Giga Lelde , Glocker Ben , Golubovic Jagoš , Gomez Pedro A , Gratz Johannes , Gravesteijn Benjamin , Grossi Francesca , Gruen Russell L , Gupta Deepak , Haagsma Juanita A , Haitsma Iain , Helbok Raimund , Helseth Eirik , Horton Lindsay , Huijben Jilske , Hutchinson Peter J , Jacobs Bram , Jankowski Stefan , Jarrett Mike , Jiang Ji -yao , Johnson Faye , Jones Kelly , Karan Mladen , Kolias Angelos G , Kompanje Erwin , Kondziella Daniel , Koraropoulos Evgenios , Koskinen Lars -Owe , Kovács Noémi , Kowark Ana , Lagares Alfonso , Lanyon Linda , Laureys Steven , Lecky Fiona , Ledoux Didier , Lefering Rolf , Legrand Valerie , Lejeune Aurelie , Levi Leon , Lightfoot Roger , Lingsma Hester , Maas Andrew I.R. , Castaño-León Ana M , Maegele Marc , Majdan Marek , Manara Alex , Manley Geoffrey , Martino Costanza , Maréchal Hugues , Mattern Julia , McMahon Catherine , Melegh Béla , Menon David , Menovsky Tomas , Mikolic Ana , Misset Benoit , Muraleedharan Visakh , Murray Lynnette , Negru Ancuta , Nelson David , Newcombe Virginia , Nieboer Daan , Nyirádi József , Olubukola Otesile , Oresic Matej , Ortolano Fabrizio , Palotie Aarno , Parizel Paul M , Payen Jean -François , Perera Natascha , Perlbarg Vincent , Persona Paolo , Peul Wilco , Piippo-Karjalainen Anna , Pirinen Matti , Ples Horia , Polinder Suzanne , Pomposo Inigo , Posti Jussi P , Puybasset Louis , Radoi Andreea , Ragauskas Arminas , Raj Rahul , Rambadagalla Malinka , Rhodes Jonathan , Richardson Sylvia , Richter Sophie , Ripatti Samuli , Rocka Saulius , Roe Cecilie , Roise Olav , Rosand Jonathan , Rosenfeld Jeffrey V , Rosenlund Christina , Rosenthal Guy , Rossaint Rolf , Rossi Sandra , Rueckert Daniel , Rusnák Martin , Sahuquillo Juan , Sakowitz Oliver , Sanchez-Porras Renan , Sandor Janos , Schäfer Nadine , Schmidt Silke , Schoechl Herbert , Schoonman Guus , Schou Rico Frederik , Schwendenwein Elisabeth , Sewalt Charlie , Skandsen Toril , Smielewski Peter , Sorinola Abayomi , Stamatakis Emmanuel , Stanworth Simon , Stevens Robert , Stewart William , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Stocchetti Nino , Sundström Nina , Synnot Anneliese , Takala Riikka , Tamás Viktória , Tamosuitis Tomas , Taylor Mark Steven , Ao Braden Te , Tenovuo Olli , Theadom Alice , Thomas Matt , Tibboel Dick , Timmers Marjolein , Tolias Christos , Trapani Tony , Maria Tudora Cristina , Vajkoczy Peter , Vallance Shirley , Valeinis Egils , Vámos Zoltán , Jagt Mathieu , Steen Gregory , Naalt Joukje , Jeroen T.J.M. van Dijck , Essen Thomas A. , Hecke Wim , Heugten Caroline , Praag Dominique , Vyvere Thijs , RoelWijk P. J. , Vargiolu Alessia , Vega Emmanuel , Velt Kimberley , Verheyden Jan , Vespa Paul M , Vik Anne , Vilcinis Rimantas , Volovici Victor , Steinbüchel Nicole , Voormolen Daphne , Vulekovic Petar , Wang Kevin K.W. , Wiegers Eveline , Williams Guy , Wilson Lindsay , Winzeck Stefan , Wolf Stefan , Yang Zhihui , Ylén Peter , Younsi Alexander , Zeiler Frederick A. , Zelinkova Veronika , Ziverte Agate , Zoerle Tommaso 
Published: July 2020

Background

Fatigue is one of the most commonly reported subjective symptoms following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aims were to assess frequency of fatigue over the first 6 months after TBI, and examine whether fatigue changes could be predicted by demographic characteristics, injury severity and comorbidities.

Methods

Patients with acute TBI admitted to 65 trauma centers were enrolled in the study Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in TBI (CENTER-TBI). Subjective fatigue was measured by single item on the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ), administered at baseline, three and 6 months postinjury. Patients were categorized by clinical care pathway: admitted to an emergency room (ER), a ward (ADM) or an intensive care unit (ICU). Injury severity, preinjury somatic- and psychiatric conditions, depressive and sleep problems were registered at baseline. For prediction of fatigue changes, descriptive statistics and mixed effect logistic regression analysis are reported.

Results

Fatigue was experienced by 47% of patients at baseline, 48% at 3 months and 46% at 6 months. Patients admitted to ICU had a higher probability of experiencing fatigue than those in ER and ADM strata. Females and individuals with lower age, higher education, more severe intracranial injury, preinjury somatic and psychiatric conditions, sleep disturbance and feeling depressed postinjury had a higher probability of fatigue.

Conclusion

A high and stable frequency of fatigue was found during the first 6 months after TBI. Specific socio-demographic factors, comorbidities and injury severity characteristics were predictors of fatigue in this study.