Fatigue in rheumatic disease: an overview

Fatigue is a common and disabling symptom in a number of rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and osteoarthritis. Patients frequently rank fatigue as one of their most disabling symptoms, adversely affecting quality of life and employment opportunities. The aims of this article are to: first, define the concept of fatigue in rheumatic disease, its nature, prevalence and impact; second, describe questionnaires that have been validated as measures of fatigue among people with rheumatic diseases; third, outline the factors which have been identified as influencing fatigue, including disease activity/severity, disability, pain, sleep disturbance, mood, self-efficacy, illness perceptions and coping; and finally, synthesize the sparse evidence currently available regarding the best strategies for managing fatigue in rheumatic disease. Recent research has suggested that disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic therapies are effective in ameliorating fatigue in both...