Exercise reduces fatigue in chronic fatigued Hodgkins disease survivors—results from a pilot study

• Published in: European journal of cancer (1990) Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 57 - 63
• Main Authors: Oldervoll, L.M., Kaasa, S., Knobel, H., Loge, J.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic Disease; Exercise; Exercise Therapy - methods; Exercise Tolerance; Fatigue; Fatigue - metabolism; Fatigue - physiopathology; Fatigue - rehabilitation; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume - physiology; Health Status; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Hodgkin Disease - complications; Hodgkin Disease - physiopathology; Hodgkin's disease; Humans; Intervention study; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Pilot Projects; Quality of Life; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vital Capacity - physiology; Fatigue; Intervention study; Exercise; Hodgkin's disease; Physical exercise; Human; Sanitary program; Questionnaire; Hodgkin disease; Malignant hemopathy; Operation; Lymphoma; Prevention; Chronic; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Complication
• ISSN: 0959-8049; 1879-0852
• DOI: 10.1016/S0959-8049(02)00483-5

The aims of this pilot study were to compare aerobic capacity in non-fatigued and fatigued Hodgkin's disease survivors (HDS) and to assess the feasibility of an exercise-programme and its effects upon fatigue, physical functioning and aerobic capacity in chronic fatigued HDS. 53 HDS (85%) of originally 62 survivors treated at the Trondheim University Hospital in the period 1987–1997 completed a questionnaire including the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ). 18 subjects were identified with chronic fatigue. 15 non-fatigued HDS matched for gender and age were drawn as controls. Both groups were invited to medical examination and exercise tests. All 15 fifteen non-fatigued HDS showed up to the medical examination. 12 of the 18 patients with chronic fatigue completed the tests and nine agreed to enter a home-based exercise intervention. Outcome measures were aerobic capacity, fatigue and physical functioning. No significant difference in aerobic capacity was found between the chronic fatigued HDS and the controls. Fatigue, physical functioning and maximal aerobic capacity were significantly improved after the intervention. Aerobic exercise had a positive effect upon chronic fatigue in HDS. However, the study is a pilot study and needs confirmation in a larger group of subjects. The intervention was well accepted, and the majority of the patients adhered to the programme.