A work-life perspective on sleep and fatigue—looking beyond shift workers

This study examines sleep and fatigue through a work-life lens. Whilst most often thought of as an issue for shift workers, this study observed that self-reported insufficient sleep and fatigue were prevalent for workers on standard daytime schedules. Using a representative sample of 573 daytime workers (51.3% men; 70.7% aged 25−54 yr) from one Australian state, it was observed that 26.4% of daytime workers never or rarely get the seven hours of sleep a night that is recommended for good health. Those with parenting responsibilites (29.4%) or working long (45+) hours (37.4%) were most likely to report insufficient sleep. Whereas mothers in full-time work were most likely to report frequent fatigue (42.5%). This study highlights the common experience of insufficient sleep and fatigue in a daytime workforce, with significant implications for health and safety at work and outside of work. Stronger and more effective legislation addressing safe and ‘decent’ working time is clearly needed, along with greater awareness and acceptance within workplace cultures of the need to support reasonable workloads and working hours.     

Evaluation of fatigability measurement: Integrative review

Fatigability is defined as the extent of fatigue in the context of activity and differs from the term used in exercise literature to describe muscle endurance characteristics. Many fatigability measures are available, but no studies have thoroughly evaluated them for adequate incorporation of fatigability concepts. This integrative review provides an overall assessment of existing fatigability measures and then evaluates each in depth. A database search and hand search produced 14 studies for review. Fatigability measurement took three forms: self-reported fatigability, perceived fatigability (self-reported fatigue following a defined performance test), and performance fatigability (performance deterioration). Of 17 measures identified, validity and/or reliability was reported for six (35.3%), and no measure was used in more than one study. Fatigability measures have been correlated with clinical measures, indicating that fatigability should be measured during routine clinical health screening. Refinement of measures and additional fatigability data collection will improve understanding and treatment of fatigue.     

Échographie des fractures de stress

Accurate assessment of bones is essential in every musculoskeletal US examination. Several articles reported the US appearance of SF of knees, legs, ankles and feet. The US hallmarks of a SF at this level are: (1) local soft tissues oedema; (2) hypoechoic thickening of the periosteum; (3) hyperaemia located into the soft tissues, periosteum and frequently inside the bone cortex; (4) normal appearance of other local structures. The US diagnosis of a SF necessitates a careful correlation with clinical findings, since US appearance although suggestive is aspecific. If US indicate a SF, an attending attitude including rest and avoidance of charge and clinical follow-up can be proposed in most patients. If the patient does not improve or in case presenting a discrepancy between US and clinical findings a MRI examination must be obtained.     

The prognostic role of fatigue,depression and anxiety on postoperative outcomes after pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer. A prospective observational study (FAT-PRO study)

ObjectivesThis study aims to assess the prevalence of preoperative fatigue, depression and anxiety among patients undergoing pancreatic surgery for pancreatic cancer (PC), and possible relationship with postoperative outcomes.MethodsProspective data from 162 consecutive patients undergoing pancreatectomy for PC at a third-level referral centers for pancreatic surgery were collected. All patients preoperatively completed four questionnaires assessing depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (STAI-Y2), chronic illness fatigue (FACIT-F) and cancer therapy fatigue (FACT-G).ResultsForty patients (25%) where in the first quartile for chronic illness (FACIT-F ≤34) and/or cancer therapy (FACT-G ≤78) fatigue, 26 patients (16%) met the criteria for major depression (PHQ-9 ≥10) and 34 patients (21%) had anxiety symptoms (STAI-Y2 ≥40). Cancer therapy fatigue was significantly associated with higher rates of morbidity (70% vs 49%), major morbidity (Clavien-Dindo ≥3) (28% vs 11%), post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (18% vs 4%), pulmonary complications (20% vs 9%) and mortality (8% vs null) (all P ≤ 0.01). Major depression was associated with higher rates of post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage and readmission (23% vs 5%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis of preoperative factors confirmed diabetes (OR 2.71, 95%CI 1.01–7.20; P = 0.04), ASA score ≥3 (OR 4.12, 95%CI 1.52–11.21; P < 0.01) and cancer therapy fatigue (OR 2.95, 95%CI 1.01–8.74; P = 0.04) to be independent predictors of major morbidity.ConclusionsHigher levels of fatigue (in particular cancer therapy fatigue) strongly correlates with worse postoperative outcomes.     

Predictors of fatigue in obstructive sleep apnea

Objective  The objective of this study was to determine potential inflammatory predictors of fatigue in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Materials and methods  Fifty-six women and men untreated OSA patients had their sleep monitored with polysomnography. Fatigue was assessed by the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form. Depressed mood was assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale. Blood was drawn to assess circulating levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI). Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, OSA severity, depressed mood, and inflammatory biomarkers were entered into a hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis predicting self-reported fatigue. Results  Approximately 42% of the patients reported significant amounts of fatigue. Higher BMI (p = 0.014), greater depressed mood (p = 0.004), and higher sTNF-RI levels (p = 0.033) were independent predictors of fatigue in the final model (full model R ² = .571; p = .003). Age, gender, blood pressure and apnea severity were unrelated to fatigue. Conclusion  The findings suggest that in addition to depressed mood, fatigue in OSA may be associated with increased body weight and elevated levels of the proinflammatory cytokine receptor sTNF-RI. The findings support a linkage between the widely reported fatigue in OSA and a sleep-related component of inflammation.     

Bridges between Nervous and Immune Systems: Their Disconnection and Clinical Consequences

Nervous and immune systems are connected by several mutual links, thus constituting a diffuse functional network in the body. In particular, neurohormones, neuropeptides, and cytokines represent the major mediators of the so-called psychoneuroendocrinoimmune axis. In this review, special emphasis is placed on certain pathologies characterized by a disconnection of the existing bridges between nervous and immune systems. For instance, spinal cord injury (SCI) is a clinical condition in which loss of neurons and very poor axon growth represent the main features. The role played by infiltrating and resident immunocompetent cells is still debated in SCI. However, to enhance axon growth in SCI, current therapeutic attempts are based on the stimulation of the immune response within the central nervous system, thus triggering either cell-mediated or humoral immune responsiveness.     

人工智能辅助软件可提升疲劳状态下放射科规培医师对肺结节的检测效能

目的:探讨在人工智能(AI)肺结节检测软件的辅助下能否提升疲劳状态的放射科规培医师对肺结节的检测效能。方法:搜集182例患者的1 mm薄层胸部CT图像,有一位放射科规培医师分别在3种模式下进行阅片:正常状态下独立阅片(A组)、疲劳状态下(即一天日常工作满8小时以上)独立阅片(B组)、疲劳状态下使用AI软件辅助阅片(C组),三种阅片模式均间隔洗脱期(2周),分别记录每次阅片时检出结节的位置、大小和数目。将3次肺结节检出结果与金标准(由2位从事胸部影像诊断超过8年的中级医师结合AI筛查结果分别作出诊断,再由1位从事胸部影像诊断超过15年的高级医师最终审核确定)进行比较,计算敏感度和(患者)人均假阳性(误诊)结节数来评价3种模式的检测效能。结果:经金标准确认1281个肺结节,A组检出真阳性结节592个、假阳结节297个,敏感度46.21%,人均误诊结节数为1.63;B组检出真阳性结节517个、假阳结节225个,敏感度40.36%,人均误诊结节数为1.24;C组检出真阳性结节995个、假阳结节165个,敏感度77.67%,人均误诊结节数为0.91。B组的敏感度和人均误诊结节数均较A组降低,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);C组的敏感度较B组提高,且人均误诊结节数降低,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);C组的敏感度较A组提高,人均误诊结节数降低,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:疲劳显著降低了放射科规培医师对肺结节的检测效能,但在AI软件辅助下能明显提高疲劳状态下放射科规培医师对肺结节的检出效能,甚至超过其正常状态下的水平。     

The interaction of acute physical fatigue with three traditional functional performance tests and the reactive balance test

ObjectivesTo assess the impact of acute physical fatigue on traditional and neurocognitive functional performance tests in recreational athletes.Designrandomized counterbalanced cross-over study, pre-post designSettinglaboratoryParticipantsTwenty recreational athletes (age = 24 ± 3 years)Main outcome measuresWe evaluated fatigue impairments following a 30 s all-out effort in three traditional and one neurocognitive functional performance test. The traditional functional performance tests encompassed the single leg hop for distance (SLH), countermovement jump (CMJ) and Y-balance test (YBT). The neurocognitive functional performance test encompassed the reactive balance test (RBT). A 30 s modified Wingate was used to induce acute physical fatigue.ResultsAcute physical fatigue was successfully induced as indicated by a significant increase in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, blood lactate levels and rating of perceived exertion (p < 0.001). Acute physical fatigue induced significant decreases in RBT accuracy (p = 0.004) and SLH performance (p < 0.001). YBT, CMJ and RBT visuomotor reaction time remained unaffected by acute physical fatigue.ConclusionsAcute physical fatigue impairs SLH performance and decreases accuracy in the RBT. YBT and CMJ performance remained unaffected by acute physical fatigue. Clinicians should be aware of this divergent neurocognitive functional impairments caused by one all-out effort to allow well-informed selection of functional performance tests.     

Effect of qigong for sleep disturbance-related symptom clusters in cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesTo examine the effects of qigong interventions on sleep disturbance-related symptom clusters for cancer patients and to explore the possible mediating role of fatigue and depression in affecting sleep.MethodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, a systematic search was conducted through October 2020 by searching multiple English and Chinese databases. Inclusion was limited to randomized controlled trials that measured the effect of qigong on sleep and fatigue/depressive symptoms in cancer patients. Eleven studies involving 907 cancer patients were included in the systematic review, whereas the meta-analysis included ten studies with 851 cancer patients.ResultsThe most commonly investigated form of qigong was Taichi, and the intervention length ranged from 10 days to 6 months. All studies employed self-reported measurements. Overall, qigong significantly improved sleep (SMD = −1.28, 95% CI: −2.01, −0.55) and fatigue (SMD = −0.89, 95% CI: −1.59, −0.19) in cancer patients post-intervention, but not depressive symptoms (SMD = −0.69, 95% CI: −1.81, 0.42). Notably, the benefits on sleep and fatigue became non-significant after 3 months. Qigong's effect on sleep was significantly mediated by its effect on fatigue (β = 1.27, SE = 0.24, p = 0.002), but not depressive symptoms (β = 0.53, SE = 0.26, p = 0.106).ConclusionsQigong can be recommended for improving sleep disturbance-fatigue symptom clusters in the cancer population, while qigong's benefit on sleep is likely based on its effect on reducing fatigue. Future qigong studies should adopt more rigorous design and employ strategies to maintain longevity of intervention benefits.     

Negative Impacts of Prolonged Standing at Work on Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Physical Fatigue: The Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey

PurposeWe aimed to investigate variations in the risk of low back pain (LBP), lower extremity muscle pain, and whole body fatigue according to differences in prolonged standing work hours in relation to risk factor exposure and rest frequency.Materials and MethodsFrom the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey data collected in 2017, data for 32970 full-time workers who worked for more than 1 year at their present job were analyzed. We classified the workers according to exposure to fatigue or painful postures, carrying heavy objects, performance of repetitive movements that burden the musculoskeletal system, and how often they took a break. Relationships between time spent in a standing posture at work and risks of LBP, lower extremity muscle pain, and whole body fatigue were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.ResultsOf the full-time workers in the survey, 48.7% worked in a standing position for more than half of their total working hours. A higher odds ratio (OR) value for lower extremity muscle pain was observed in female not exposed to carrying heavy objects [OR: 3.551, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.038–4.150] and not exposed to performing repetitive movements (OR: 3.555, 95% CI: 2.761–4.557).ConclusionChanges in work methodologies are needed to lower the number of hours spent in a prolonged standing posture at work, including being able to rest when workers want to do so, to reduce pain and fatigue.