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Fatigue in Psychiatric HIV Patients: A Pilot Study of Psychological Correlates

Received June 4, 2007; revised October 19, 2007; accepted November 5, 2007. From the Division of Psychiatry and Medicine; the Division of Infectious Diseases and Partners, AIDS Research Center; Massachusetts General Hospital; and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Send correspondence and reprint requests to Oliver Freudenreich, M.D., MGH Schizophrenia Program, Freedom Trail Clinic, 25 Staniford St., 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02114. e-mail: ofreudenreich{at}partners.org
© 2009 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine

BACKGROUND: Even though viral management of HIV infection is now more effective, clinical observations suggest that fatigue remains a problem for a substantial proportion of patients. OBJECTIVE: The authors delineated prevalence and severity of fatigue in HIV patients with psychiatric comorbidities and examined psychological correlates of fatigue. METHOD: The authors comprehensively assessed fatigue in 38 consecutive HIV patients referred for psychiatric treatment with the Identity-Consequence Fatigue Scale. RESULTS: About 80% of patients reported at least moderate feelings of fatigue, and about 25% judged that fatigue was severely affecting their daily functioning. Depression, anxiety, and perceived stress explained between 20% and 75% of the variance in fatigue ratings. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that fatigue in the era of effective antiretroviral treatment is prevalent, relevant, and related to psychological morbidities. Recognition and treatment of these comorbidities may be important in reducing this fatigue.

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