Skip to main content

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Neurol.
Sec. Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1457788

Global prevalence of fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta

Provisionally accepted
Xiaodong Yi Xiaodong Yi 1Yue Zhang Yue Zhang 2*Qiufeng Du Qiufeng Du 1*Jing Kang Jing Kang 1Shuang Song Shuang Song 1*Tao Li Tao Li 1*Yunlan Jiang Yunlan Jiang 2*
  • 1 College of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
  • 2 Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Fatigue is one of the most common and burdensome symptoms for patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), considerably impacting their quality of life and employment. Numerous reports have described the prevalence of MS-related fatigue, but there is no global consensus on this matter.Objective: To examine the global prevalence of MS-related fatigue and identify sources of heterogeneity in the published literature.: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang database for potential literature from 2000 to January 31, 2024. A random effects model was used to calculate the prevalence of MS-related fatigue.Subgroup analyses and a meta-regression were used to explore the sources of heterogeneity.Results: 69 studies from 27 countries were included. The global prevalence of MS-related fatigue was 59.1%, and it has decreased every decade since 2000. Fatigue was prevalent among females, those with lower education levels, those who were older, those with greater disability, and those with longer MS durations. The meta-regression revealed that fatigue measurement instruments were the largest source of heterogeneity.The prevalence of MS-related fatigue is quite high. Healthcare professionals should screen for and manage fatigue for PwMS as early as possible and pay attention to populations with a high prevalence of fatigue. The high heterogeneity among the prevalence rates due to differences in the fatigue scales suggests the importance of reaching a consensus on the best screening tools for MSrelated fatigue.

    Keywords: Fatigue, Prevalence, Multiple Sclerosis, Systematic review, Meta-analysis

    Received: 03 Jul 2024; Accepted: 20 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yi, Zhang, Du, Kang, Song, Li and Jiang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yue Zhang, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
    Qiufeng Du, College of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
    Shuang Song, College of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
    Tao Li, College of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
    Yunlan Jiang, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.