Table 2.
Effect of exercise on fatigue based on an intention-to-treat analysis
| Baseline to 18 weeks (i.e., post intervention) | Baseline to 36 weeks | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | Within-group difference | Between-group difference | Within-group difference | Between-group difference | ||||||||
| Mean (SD) | Mean | [95 % CI] | Mean | [95 % CI] | ES | Mean | [95 % CI] | Mean | [95 % CI] | ES | ||
| Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory | ||||||||||||
| General fatigue | UC | 10.6 (4.1) | 2.3 | [1.4 to 3.3] | Reference | 0.7 | [−0.3 to 1.6] | Reference | ||||
| I | 10.1 (4.3) | 1.9 | [1.0 to 2.8] | −1.0 | [−2.1 to 0.1] | −0.23 | 0.3 | [−0.7 to 1.2] | −0.9 | [−2.1 to 0.3] | −0.22 | |
| Physical fatigue | UC | 10.6 (4.1) | 2.2 | [1.3 to 3.2] | Reference | −0.4 | [−1.4 to 0.6] | Reference | ||||
| I | 9.9 (4.3) | 1.6 | [0.7 to 2.5] | −1.3 | [−2.5 to −0.1] | −0.30 | −0.3 | [−1.3 to 0.6] | −0.5 | [−1.7 to 0.8] | −0.11 | |
| Mental fatigue | UC | 10.2 (4.1) | 1.5 | [0.6 to 2.4] | Reference | 1.0 | [0.1 to 1.9] | Reference | ||||
| I | 9.8 (4.0) | 1.6 | [0.8 to 2.5] | 0.0 | [−1.2 to 1.2] | 0.01 | 0.6 | [−0.3 to 1.5] | −0.6 | [−1.8 to 0.7] | −0.15 | |
| Reduced motivation | UC | 8.7 (3.4) | −0.3 | [−1.0 to 0.5] | Reference | −1.5 | [−2.3 to −0.8] | Reference | ||||
| I | 8.0 (3.5) | −0.2 | [−0.9 to 0.5] | −0.2 | [−1.1 to 0.7] | −0.06 | −0.6 | [−1.3 to 0.1] | 0.7 | [−0.2 to 1.7] | 0.21 | |
| Reduced activity | UC | 10.5 (3.7) | 1.2 | [0.3 to 2.1] | Reference | −1.1 | [−2.0 to −0.2] | Reference | ||||
| I | 10.3 (3.8) | 1.0 | [0.1 to 1.9] | −0.4 | [−1.5 to 0.8] | −0.09 | −1.5 | [−2.3 to −0.6] | −0.4 | [−1.6 to 0.7] | −0.11 | |
| Fatigue Quality List | ||||||||||||
| Frustrating | UC | 22.8 (24.7) | 9.8 | [3.6 to 16.0] | Reference | 2.8 | [−3.6 to 9.1] | Reference | ||||
| I | 15.9 (19.2) | 7.9 | [1.9 to 13.8] | −7.6 | [−15.5 to 0.3] | −0.34 | 6.0 | [−0.1 to 12.1] | −2.2 | [−10.4 to 5.9] | −0.10 | |
| Exhausting | UC | 6.9 (16.6) | 4.9 | [0.7 to 9.2] | Reference | −2.4 | [−6.7 to 2.0] | Reference | ||||
| I | 6.9 (15.4) | 5.0 | [0.9 to 9.0] | 0.8 | [−4.6 to 6.2] | 0.05 | −0.7 | [−4.9 to 3.5] | 2.5 | [−3.1 to 8.1] | 0.16 | |
| Pleasant | UC | 26.3 (20.7) | −4.6 | [−9.6 to 0.3] | Reference | 3.0 | [−2.1 to 8.1] | Reference | ||||
| I | 29.2 (20.6) | −4.3 | [−9.1 to 0.4] | 2.6 | [−3.2 to 8.5] | 0.13 | 1.5 | [−3.4 to 6.3] | 0.5 | [−5.6 to 6.6] | 0.02 | |
| Frightening | UC | 8.8 (17.1) | −1.4 | [−5.0 to 2.2] | Reference | −4.9 | [−8.6 to −1.2] | Reference | ||||
| I | 12.5 (17.5) | −3.3 | [−6.7 to 0.2] | 0.2 | [−3.7 to 4.2] | 0.01 | −3.9 | [−7.4 to −0.3] | 2.9 | [−1.2 to 7.0] | 0.17 | |
ES effect size, I intervention group, UC usual care group
Except for the pleasant dimension of the Fatigue Quality List, negative ES for fatigue dimensions indicate effects in favour of the exercise intervention group
Between-group effects were assessed using mixed models including the measurements obtained at 18 and 36 weeks, adjusted for age, hospital, radiotherapy, use of tissue expander, receptor status and the value of the outcome variable at baseline
Within-group effects were assessed using mixed models including the measurements obtained at baseline, 18 and 36 weeks, adjusted for age, hospital, radiotherapy, use of tissue expander, and receptor status
Baseline results and within-group differences were based on participants having baseline measurements (102 participants in each group). Between-group differences were based on participants for whom measurements at 18 or 36 weeks were available (93 intervention and 89 usual care)