The relation between fatigue and clinical-personal factors in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract

Introduction: Persistent and progressive fatigue associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a subjective symptom whose causal mechanisms are not yet well documented in the literature. Objective: To investigate muscular fatigue of patients with ALS and its relation to clinical-personal factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 25 patients. The evaluation instruments used were the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Results: Fatigue was found in 56% of the sample, where subjects had been ill for 4.5 ±4.34 years. However, no significant statistical relation was found to patients’ clinical or personal factors. Conclusion: Results indicate the presence of fatigue in ALS but no relation to the other parameters of the study, showing that fatigue is a complex and independent factor that needs to be explored with ALS patients in a differentiated and specific way.