Persistent fatigue among long-term non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors

Abstract

This study describes the prevalence and persistence of fatigue among a cohort of long-term non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) survivors. Mailed surveys assessed quality-of-life including fatigue (SF-36) at baseline and five years. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with prevalence of fatigue at baseline and persistence of fatigue across timepoints. More than one-quarter (27.7%) of the 555 NHL survivors reported clinically meaningful fatigue at baseline and 18.7% reported persistent fatigue at five years. One-third (34.4%) reported clinically meaningful worsening of fatigue over time. Independent associations with persistent fatigue included female gender, less education, past chemotherapy, increased comorbidities, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (P <.05). Our findings suggest that one in three NHL survivors experience clinically meaningful fatigue long after their diagnosis and initial treatment. Furthermore, we found that fatigue worsens or persists for many, highlighting the need for vigilance in assessing and treating fatigue in this population.