Sundberg 2013.
| Methods | Study design: cross‐sectional study (questionnaire survey) Instrument used to assess fatigue: SF‐36 Vitality subscale Validated questionnaire: yes Cut‐off score or criterion for severe fatigue: score ≤ 50 Time points at which outcome data were collected: NA, cross‐sectional study Inclusion criteria: SCT survivor group: treatment in the paediatric SCT programme between October 1985 and June 1999, young adults > 18 years old, no history of chronic GVHD and immunosuppressive therapy Non‐SCT group: ALL diagnosis, diagnosed at age < 18 years, during period 1985 ‐ 1999, at least 18 years of age at time of the study Exclusion criteria: nm |
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| Participants | Sample characteristics: N of participants original cohort: 415; N of participants described study group: 70; N of participants study group of interest: 70; N of participants fatigue assessed: 64 Participant characteristics: Tumour type: SCT group: ALL or lymphoblastic lymphoma n = 18, non‐SCT group: ALL n = 52 Tumour stage: nm Age at diagnosis: SCT group: median 5 years (range 1 ‐ 15), non‐SCT group: median 6.5 (range 0 ‐ 16) Time since end of therapy: SCT group: median 18 years (range 10 ‐ 22), non‐SCT group: median 14 years (range 5 ‐ 18) Age at assessment: SCT group: median 27 years (range 18 ‐ 37), non‐SCT group: median 22 years (range 19 ‐ 33) F/M: SCT group: 8/10, non‐SCT group: 27/25 BMI: nm Race/ethnicity: nm Marital status: SCT group: married/partnered n = 6, non‐SCT group: married/partnered n = 13 Highest completed education level: SCT group: junior compulsory n = 3, senior high school n = 9, postgraduate/university n = 6 non‐SCT group: junior compulsory n = 16, senior high school n = 30, postgraduate/university n = 6 Employment: SCT group: student n = 5, working n = 9, unemployed n = 2, sick leave n = 2 non‐SCT group: student n = 22, working n = 25, unemployed n = 4, sick leave n = 1 Physical activity level: SF‐36 physical functioning, SCT group: mean 90.0 (SD 13.1), non‐SCT group mean 95.3 (SD 11.2) Sleeping problems: nm Psychosocial problems: nm Comorbidities/late effects: nm Genetic factors/mutations: nm |
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| Interventions | N of participants chemotherapy: nm N of participants radiotherapy: nm N of participants surgery: nm N of participants cranial irradiation: SCT group 7, non‐SCT group 21 N of participants SCT: SCT group 18 |
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| Outcomes | Severe fatigue: N of participants with severe fatigue: 23/64 (35.94%) Risk and associated factors: no analysis performed with fatigue as outcome |
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| Notes | Funding sources: Swedish Childrens’s Cancer Foundation Declaration of interest: Nothing to declare The following data were obtained from the study author: N of participants with severe fatigue |
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| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Representative study group (selection bias) | High risk | The described study group consisted of < 90% of the original cohort |
| Adequate follow‐up assessment (attrition bias) | Low risk | Outcome was assessed for 65% ‐ 95% of the study group of interest |
| Blinded outcome assessor (detection bias) All outcomes | High risk | Outcome assessors were not blinded to the investigated determinant |
| Well‐defined study group (reporting bias) | High risk | Type of cancer is mentioned and information on cancer treatment is limited to cranial irradiation and SCT. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are described |
| Well‐defined follow‐up (reporting bias) | Low risk | Length of follow‐up is mentioned |
| Well‐defined outcome severe fatigue (reporting bias) All outcomes | Low risk | The authors reported which instrument they used to assess fatigue and definition of severe fatigue is based on data query |