RESEARCH - Anemia versus disease activity as cause of fatigue in RA

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Acta Reumatol Port. 2010 Jan-Mar;35(1):24-8.

Anemia versus disease activity as cause of fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis.

Escobar ME, Gerhardt C, Roesler E, Kuroda MP, Silva MB, Skare TL.

Rheumatology Division Hospital Universitário Evangélico de Curitiba -

PR, Brazil.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common complaint in rheumatoid arthritis

patients and contributes to loss of quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of hemoglobin levels and disease

activity index upon fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

(RA).

METHODS: We studied 130 RA patients for DAS 28, hemoglobin levels and

fatigue as measured by FACIT F.

RESULTS: No association between fatigue with hemoglobin levels was

observed. A positive association with DAS-28 was found. Decomposing

DAS-28, no association could be detected with sedimentation rate but a

positive correlation with analogical scale for general health, number

of swollen and painful joints was found.

CONCLUSION: Although a positive association of fatigue with DAS-28 is

found it appears that the most important items in connection with

fatigue are swollen and tender joints as well as general health

status. Hemoglobin levels were not related to fatigue in our patients.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20518145

Read the full article here:

http://www.spreumatologia.pt/download_fich.php?path=pdfs & filename=ARP_2010_1_24_\

06__AO_-_Fadigue_ARP2010-103.pdf

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