Factors associated with fatigue in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with antiretroviral drug adverse reactions: a retrospective study

ObjectiveTo retrospectively study the prevalence of fatigue and factors associated with fatigue among acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with antiretroviral drug adverse reactions.MethodsData were collected from case report forms (CRFs) for a project funded by the 11th National 5-year Special Science and Technology Program on Major Infectious Diseases. Fatigue was defined by patient self-report. The outcomes were the prevalence of fatigue and the potential risk factors of fatigue. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors associated with fatigue.ResultsAmong the 228 subjects, the prevalence of fatigue was 86.8%. In univariate analysis, the significant differences in demographic characteristics between patients with and without fatigue were: gender [OR=2.29; 95% CI (1.05-4.98)], education level [OR=0.40; 95% CI (0.18-0.85)], anemia [OR=3.80; 95% CI (1.27-11.31)], time of HIV diagnosis [OR= 0.29; 95% CI (0.13-0.65)], and route of infection [OR=0.14; 95% CI (0.06-0.32)]. Abnormal taste and rapid pulse were more commonly seen in patients with fatigue (P<0.05), while abdominal distension and lumbar soreness were encountered less often in patients with fatigue (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the four main factors associated with fatigue were anemia [OR=3.50; 95% CI (1.01-12.15)], route of infection [OR=3.40; 95% CI (1.21-9.58); P=0.02<0.05], lumbar soreness [OR=0.06; 95% CI (0.02-0.18); P=0.000<0.05], and rapid pulse [OR=10.58; 95% CI (2.16-51.75); P=0.004<0.05].ConclusionThis study demonstrated that fatigue is common (86.8% prevalence) in AIDS patients with antiretroviral drug adverse reactions, and that anemia, route of infection (i.e., non-commercial blood donation) and rapid pulse were risk factors, while lumbar soreness was a protective factor related to fatigue. More attention should be paid to fatigue and more efforts should be made to find ways to prevent, control and eliminate this symptom in AIDS patients with antiretroviral drug adverse reactions.