Clinical correlates of fatigue in spinal cord injury

Study design: Retrospective chart review. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of fatigue in an outpatient spinal cord injury population and to examine the clinical variables contributing to that fatigue.

Setting: GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Methods: Medical charts of 76 individuals admitted to the GF Strong Outpatient SCI Program between December 2004 and December 2005 were reviewed. Data collected included information on clinical characteristics, demographics and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) scores. Multivariable analysis was completed to determine the independent association between these variables and fatigue severity.

Results: A total of 57% (95% confidence interval (CI) 1⁄445–67%) of the sample were found to have fatigue severe enough to interfere with function. People that were admitted for medical reasons; had pain, spasticity, incomplete injuries, and/or were on more that one medication with a known side effect of fatigue had significantly higher FSS scores. Multivariable analysis indicated incomplete injury was the only statistically significant predictor of a higher FSS scores; pain approached significance (P 1⁄40.07, CI 1⁄4

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