Correlation of Fatigue During the Acute Stage of Stroke with Serum Uric Acid and Glucose Levels, Depression, and Disability

Abstract

Background: To clarify the correlation of fatigue during the acute stage of stroke with serum uric acid (UA) and glucose levels, depression, and disability. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods: A stroke group of 312 patients and a reference group of 312 healthy controls were recruited during the same period. Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Patients with an FSS score ≥4 points were defined as having fatigue. Depression was assessed using the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Patients with an SDS score ≥50 points were defined as having depression. Stroke severity and the level of disability were assessed with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Modified Rankin Scale (MRS). Results: The prevalence of fatigue in the stroke group was higher than that in the reference group (p < 0.001). Within the stroke group, low serum UA level, high MRS score, high serum glucose level, and high SDS score were associated with increased FSS score. The MRS score was associated most consistently with the FSS score (B = 0.411, 95% CI: 0.297, 0.525). Age, gender, chronic disease history, and NIHSS score were not associated with FSS score. Conclusions: Serum UA and glucose levels, depression, and disability are closely related to fatigue during the acute stage of ischaemic stroke.