Key result
High vital exhaustion scores were associated with a significantly decreased risk for developing cancer at all sites compared to the lowest scores (HR 0.80; 95% CI 0.66-0.96).
Why the study?
Does high vital exhaustion increase the risk for cancer in adults?
Cohort (n=8,527)
Does high vital exhaustion increase the risk for cancer in adults?
High vital exhaustion scores were associated with a decreased, rather than increased, risk of developing cancer, contrary to the initial hypothesis.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Challenges hypothesis that vital exhaustion raises cancer risk; observational data leave open need for prospective confirmation.
BACKGROUND: Vital exhaustion, defined as feelings of depression and fatigue, has previously been investigated mainly as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The authors investigated the association between depressive feelings and fatigue as covered by the concept of vital exhaustion and the risk for cancer. METHODS: The sample consisted of 8527 persons aged 21-94 who had been examined in 1991-1994 within the Copenhagen City Heart Study. For the analysis, the sample was divided into quartiles on the basis of vital exhaustion scores. Cancer cases were ascertained by linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry. The mean length of follow-up was 8.6 years. Regression analyses for etiology-based groups of cancer sites were conducted on the basis of the Cox proportional hazards model, with adjustment for a number of confounding variables. RESULTS: Cancer was diagnosed in 976 persons (12%) during follow-up. In comparison to those with the lowest scores, persons with the highest vital exhaustion scores had a significantly decreased risk for developing cancer at all sites (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI}, 0.66-0.96), smoking-related cancers (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46-0.90), and virus and immune-related cancers (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.26-0.99). No significant change in risk was found for cancers related to alcohol consumption or hormones. CONCLUSIONS: The results did not support the hypothesis that symptoms of fatigue and depression, as ascertained in the vital exhaustion index, increased the risk for cancer.
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Bergelt et al. (2005) conducted a cohort in Vital exhaustion and cancer risk (n=8,527). High vital exhaustion scores vs. Lowest vital exhaustion scores was evaluated on Developing cancer at all sites (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66-0.96). High vital exhaustion scores were associated with a significantly decreased risk for developing cancer at all sites compared to the lowest scores (HR 0.80; 95% CI 0.66-0.96).
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