• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1015-1029
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• 2020

Purpose: This study assessed the validity of a questionnaire (SEID-Q27) for diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), designed based on the systematic exertion intolerance disorder (SEID) criteria. Methods: Two groups of participants were recruited: 1. a non-CFS control group: adult university personnel with a Chalder fatigue scale (CFQ) score ≥15, and 2. a CFS patient group: patients from an online CFS community diagnosed with CFS (diagnostic code of G93.3) with the symptoms present. The survey ran from September to October, 2020. The validity of the questionnaire was investigated by factor analysis and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: Among the 35 adults surveyed, 30 (86%) participants had CFQ scores ≥15 (15 males and 15 females) and 5 (14%) had a CFS diagnosis (2 males and 3 females). The total mean score was significantly different between the two groups (CFS: 6.8±2.2 vs. control: 4.4±2.4, p<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.827. With a cut-off point 62, the sensitivity was 60%, specificity 97%, and the discriminant ability of the survey was 79%. Conclusions: The SEID -Q27 appears to be a useful instrument for the diagnosis of CFS using SEID criteria. However, further large-scale studies are needed with greater numbers of participants.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Oriental Medical Informatics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.21-28
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• 2013

Background The aim of this study is assessing the adaption of the Sasang Constitutional herbal tea to the patient complained fatigue. Method Five times assessments were accomplished for 8 weeks using Chalder fatigue scale and visual analogue scale of health status. Herbal tea was served on the point of 4 weeks from 1st visit. Results Chalder fatigue scale and visual analogue scale of health status were significantly improved. Conclusion Sasang Constitutional herbal tea can be used for the control of chronic fatigue.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.387-397
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• 2001

Fatigue is a ubiquitous symptom and is a part of many acute and chronic health conditions. This complex symptom is so prevalence in contemporary society that it motivates a large percentage of the health care-seeking behavior among late-middle aged adults and elders. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of fatigue. to identify coping types of fatigue, and to explore factors affected fatigue between middle aged adults and elders who have no critical health problems. The results are as follows: 1. The elderly that manifested high level of fatigue revealed more fatigue than adults. 2. There are three coping types of fatigue. The three types were analyzed by Q-methodology. These three are action-evading, action-limited, and action-oriented. 3. The levels of fatigue manifested by the participants varied significantly according to age, vocation, education, present disease, and income. By identifying the nature of each of the coping types of fatigue, it is recommended to develop an effective nursing interventions for middle aged adults and elders.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess pain, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and the quality of life and to identify the impact of pain, sleep disturbance and fatigue on the quality of life in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: Data were collected from June to July, 2010. Participants were recruited from Y university hospital in Seoul. Research instruments included numeric rating scale for pain, Functional Assessment Chronic Illness Therapy-Functional Well-Being (FACIT-FWB): General Factor 5 (GF5) for sleep disturbance, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) for quality of life, and FACT-Fatigue for fatigue. Results: The quality of life for cancer patients had a significant relationship with pain, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. The significant factors influencing quality of life were pain, sleep disturbance, and fatigue that explained 52.6% of the variance. Conclusion: Patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy experienced pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance which led to a negative effect on quality of life. The results suggest that intervention program to improve quality of life could reduce pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance of pancreatic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.55-60
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of constitutional herbal tea for treating chronic fatigue with no diagnosed cause, which is called Mibyeong in Korea. Methods: Males and females with ages between 40 and 59 years who had complained of fatigue for 1 month consistently or for 6 months intermittently without a definite cause were recruited. At the same time, a Chalder fatigue scale (CFS) score of 19 was essential for participation in this study. Sixty five subjects completed the entire process, including blood tests and tests with medical devices. Five assessments of health status were accomplished over 8 weeks by using the CFS and the visual analogue scale (VAS). To ensure that the constitutional herbal tea was being safely used, we conducted and analyzed renal function and liver function tests. For the diagnosis of the Sasang constitution, the Sasang Constitutional Analysis Tool (SCAT) was used, and a specialist in Sasang constitutional medicine made the final diagnosis based on the SCAT result. Constitutional herbal tea was served four weeks after the first visit. The subjects took the constitutional herbal tea twice a day for one month. Results: The results are as follows: The CFS and the VAS scores were significantly improved for the subjects in the constitutional herbal tea. No abnormalities were found on the blood tests to evaluate safety after taking the constitutional herbal tea. The improvements in the CFS and the VAS scores due to the constitutional herbal tea had no significant differences according to the Sasang constitution. Conclusion: Constitutional herbal tea may be used to reduce fatigue and improve health and has no adverse effect on either the kidney or the liver.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.71-90
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to compare immediate differences in fatigue and motor performance during instrumental playing in patients with chronic stroke depending on whether singing task was concurrently presented. A total of 12 patients with chronic stroke were recruited from community and daycare centers for older adults in Seoul. Six subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental group and six to the comparison group. The experimental group was asked to sing while playing the electronic drum, and the comparison group only played the drum. The results of this study showed that statistically significant differences in perceived fatigue and exertion were found between the two groups, while no significant group differences were found in level of engagement in playing or force of tapping during drum playing. This study supports the inclusion of a singing task in instrument playing rehabilitation to effectively decrease perceived fatigue and level of intensity of exercises, although this may not lead to immediate changes in motor function or level of target exercises. The results indicate that singing while instrument playing may help stroke patients shift their attention from the executed motor movements to singing and alleviate the attentional and emotional load from intense movements. This study presents implications for how to select and pattern target movements in music therapy intervention for better motor outcomes.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.185-194
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and cognitive function on the quality of life of gastrointestinal cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods: Data were collected from a total of 141 participants. The measurements used were Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy for fatigue (FACIT-F), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for cognitive function (FACT-Cog). Results: Significant correlations were found among fatigue, anxiety, depression, cognitive function, and quality of life. The mean score of quality of life was 59.60 out of 108, and 68% of the variance in QOL was explained by fatigue, anxiety, depression, and cognitive function. Cognitive function was the most influential factor (β=.30), followed by anxiety (β=-.27), depression (β=-.24), and fatigue (β=-.18). We found that the better the cognitive function, the lower the anxiety and depression, and the lower the degree of fatigue, the higher the quality of life. Conclusion: A nursing program for managing the changes in fatigue, anxiety, depression, and cognitive function should be provided to enhance maintenance and the improvement of the quality of life for gastrointestinal cancer patients who receive chemotherapy.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.16-31
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to assess the fatigue in lumbar and abdominal muscles in patients with chronic low back pain compared with normal subjects using spectral analysis with mean power frequency and median power frequency. The experimental group consisted of twenty subjects who had experienced chronic low back pain for over one year after the onset day. A control group consisted of twenty normal subjects with no history of low back pain. All subjects stood in an apparatus to perform sustained contraction in the lumbar and abdominal muscles for 30 seconds with 60% maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). The resulting electromyographic (EMG) recorded time serial data were transformed into frequency serial data by Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT). The results were as follows: 1) lumbar muscles measured, the frequency change ratio of both median power frequency and mean power frequency was significantly greater for experimental group compared with control group group (p<0.05). In measured two abdominal muscles (inferior rectus abdominis, obliquus externus abdominis) except superior rectus abdominis, the frequency change ratio of both median power frequency and mean power frequency was significantly greater for experimental group compared with control group (p<0.05). 2) In all three (longissimus thoracis, iliocostalis lumborum, multifidus) lumbar muscles measured, the initial frequency value of both median power frequency and mean power frequency was significantly lower for the experimental group compared with the control group (p<0.05). In the two (inferior rectus abdominis, obliquus externus abdominis) abdominal muscles measured (superior rectus abdominis not included), the initial frequency value of both median power frequency and mean power frequency was significantly lower for the experimental group compared with the control group (p<0.05). These results suggest that in patients with chronic low back pain there is a trend for more fatigue to occur in both lumbar and abdominal muscles than in the normal control group. This would seem to suggest that in treatment programs for patients with chronic low back pain, improvement of endurance in all trunk muscles should be considered.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.288-296
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• 2004

Purpose: Illness intrusiveness (illness induced lifestyle disruption) by symptoms was investigated in 439 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Method: The cross-sectional and retrospective survey design was used. Fatigue, disability, pain, and depression were considered as symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Result: Patients were reported to perceive more illness intrusiveness than other chronic disease patients such as end stage renal disease, bipolar disorder, and peritoneal dialysis patients. They were especially intrusive into work, health, and active recreation domains. Stepwise regression analysis identified four variables counting for 26% of illness intrusiveness variances: fatigue, disability, marital status, and depression. All of the symptoms except pain were found to significantly predict illness intrusiveness. Fatigue explained 16% of illness intrusiveness variances. Conclusion: Fatigue and depression usually overlooked by health professionals must be carefully assessed and managed to reduce perceived illness for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.209-223
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• 2022

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant changes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on patients with chronic pain. Methods: Patients with chronic pain from 23 university hospitals in South Korea participated in this study. The anonymous survey questionnaire consisted of 25 questions regarding the following: demographic data, diagnosis, hospital visit frequency, exercise duration, time outside, sleep duration, weight change, nervousness and anxiety, depression, interest or pleasure, fatigue, daily life difficulties, and self-harm thoughts. Depression severity was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between increased pain and patient factors. Results: A total of 914 patients completed the survey, 35.9% of whom had decreased their number of visits to the hospital, mostly due to COVID-19. The pain level of 200 patients has worsened since the COVID-19 outbreak, which was more prominent in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Noticeable post-COVID-19 changes such as exercise duration, time spent outside, sleep patterns, mood, and weight affected patients with chronic pain. Depression severity was more significant in patients with CRPS. The total PHQ-9 average score of patients with CRPS was 15.5, corresponding to major depressive orders. The patients' decreased exercise duration, decreased sleep duration, and increased depression were significantly associated with increased pain. Conclusions: COVID-19 has caused several changes in patients with chronic pain. During the pandemic, decreased exercise and sleep duration and increased depression were associated with patients' increasing pain.