ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 1382

The Longitudinal Course of Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis – Results from the Norfolk Arthritis Register

Katie L Druce1, Gareth T Jones2, Gary J. Macfarlane1, Suzanne M. Verstappen3 and Neil Basu1, 1Musculoskeletal Research Collaboration (Epidemiology Group), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, 2Musculoskeletal Research Collaboration (Epidemiology Group),, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, 3Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

Meeting: 2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Epidemiologic methods, Fatigue, longitudinal studies and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Title: Rheumatoid Arthritis - Clinical Aspects (ACR): Comorbidities, Treatment Outcomes and Mortality

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose: Fatigue is common and burdensome in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Though RA fatigue progression varies significantly between individuals, to date, published analyses have only considered average changes in fatigue.  The aim of the current study was to determine if it is possible to distinguish participants who follow distinct trajectories of fatigue reporting over time and thus potentially inform to whom specific management should be targeted.

Methods: Participants from the Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR), a long-term inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) inception cohort,  who met 1987 ACR RA criteria reported levels of fatigue (0-100mm visual analogue scale (VAS)) at recruitment and annually thereafter for four years. Among those with clinically relevant fatigue at recruitment (VAS≥20mm), changes in fatigue were calculated over the four years of follow-up; clinically significant improvements were defined as ≥10mm. Latent fatigue trajectory groups were determined using sex-stratified group-based trajectory modelling. Baseline variables (demographic, clinical and patient-reported) were compared between identified groups using descriptive statistics (p<0.05 considered significant).

Results: In 338 participants (30.2% male), there were only small average improvements in fatigue from recruitment to one (6.0mm, SD 26.9) and four years later (5.5mm, 29.3), yet improvements were clinically significant for 45.2% and 56.0% of participants at these follow-ups, respectively. The best fitting models revealed two fatigue trajectories in men (improved, and moderate-high), and three trajectories in women (as the male group, plus an additional ‘High’ trajectory (Figure 1)).

To determine the characteristics of those likely to benefit from fatigue-specific interventions, baseline variables were compared between those who improved and all other participants (‘non-improved’). In both sexes, non-improvers reported significantly poorer scores for disability, pain, fatigue and sleep problems, at baseline. Female non-improvers were significantly younger, reported more disease activity and use of antidepressants and NSAIDs. Whereas, in males, the use of analgesics at recruitment was greater among non-improvers; as was the proportion of patients unable to work due to illness.

Conclusion: Among a group of patients who, on average, show only small improvements in fatigue, significant variation in fatigue progression exists. At presentation, it is possible to identify and characterise sub-groups of patients who do not improve. Such patients are most likely to require early and targeted interventions, to alleviate fatigue.

 


Disclosure:

K. L. Druce,
None;

G. T. Jones,
None;

G. J. Macfarlane,
None;

S. M. Verstappen,
None;

N. Basu,
None.

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/the-longitudinal-course-of-fatigue-in-rheumatoid-arthritis-results-from-the-norfolk-arthritis-register/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology