Verberne 2012.
Methods | Study design: cross‐sectional study Instrument used to assess fatigue: PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale Validated questionnaire: yes Cut‐off score or criterion for severe fatigue: normative mean total score for Dutch population of the PedsQL child form: 76.84 (SD 12.67); cut‐off score for severe fatigue: total fatigue score < 51.50 Time points at which outcome data were collected: NA, cross‐sectional study Inclusion criteria: between 4 and 18 years old, > 6 months after end of treatment, diagnosed after 2003 Exclusion criteria: Down syndrome |
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Participants | Sample characteristics: N of participants original cohort: unknown; N of participants described study group: 109; N of participants study group of interest: 109; N of participants fatigue assessed: 109, 71 with child forma Participant characteristics: Tumour type: CNS tumour n = 31, HL n = 4, NHL n = 11, ALL n = 12, WT n = 13, neuroblastoma n = 7, bone tumour n = 7, non‐CNS germ cell tumour n = 4, liver tumour n = 3, soft tissue or other tumour n = 17 Tumour stage: nm Age at diagnosis: mean 7.1 years (range 0.0 ‐ 16.9) Time since end of therapy: mean 2.4 years (range 0.5 ‐ 6.0) Age at assessment: mean 10.3 years (range 4.0 ‐ 17.9) F/M: 48/61 BMI: < 25 n = 60, ≥ 25 ‐ ≤ 30 n = 5, > 30 n = 3, unknown n = 3 Race/ethnicity: White n = 47, Hispanic n = 0, other n = 14, unknown n=10 Marital status: NA Highest completed education level: nm Employment: NA Physical activity level: nm Sleeping problems: sleep duration: 9 ‐ 11 hrs n = 62, 8 ‐ 9 hrs n = 26, 7 ‐ 8 hrs n = 13, 5 ‐ 7 hr n = 3, < 5 hr n = 1b DIMS: mean 11.7 (SD 3.8)c SWTD: mean 7.8 (SD 2.6)c DOES: mean 8.8 (SD 2.8)c SHY: mean 2.6 (SD 1.6)c Daytime sleepiness (ESS): mean 4.5 (SD 4.0)c Psychosocial problems: nm Comorbidities/late effects: nm Genetic factors/mutations: nm |
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Interventions | N of participants surgery: 20 N of participants surgery + chemotherapy: 34 N of participants surgery + chemotherapy + cranial irradiation: 11 N of participants surgery + chemotherapy + radiotherapy: 12 N of participants surgery + radiotherapy: 2 N of participants chemotherapy: 20 N of participants chemotherapy + radiotherapy: 7 N of participants no treatment: 3 |
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Outcomes | Severe fatigue: N of participants with severe fatigue: 8/71 (11.3%) Risk and associated factors: Dependent factor: fatigue (continuous)d Univariable: Significant: DOES ( r = −0.78, P < 0.001), SWTD (r = −0.37, P < 0.05) Non‐significant: DIMS (r = −0.15), SHY (r = −0.08), daytime sleepiness (r = −0.30) |
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Notes | Funding sources: This study was not funded Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest The following data were obtained from the study author: N of participants with severe fatigue, BMI and race/ethnicity aonly for the participants that filled in the child form of the PedsQL questionnaire (8 ‐ 18 years at assessment), fatigue was assessed based on the presented criterion for severe fatigue. bNumbers do not add up to total N of described study group. Unclear what correct numbers were. cPresented means are from CNS tumour survivors only dAnalyses were performed with fatigue score on a continuous scale as outcome (Pearson correlation). P values were not reported for non‐significant risk and associated factors in the article. Analyses included only CNS tumour survivors |
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Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Representative study group (selection bias) | High risk | Size of original cohort is unclear, 129 eligible participants, 109 described study group, < 90% |
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 | The outcome assessors were not blinded to the investigated determinant |
Adjustment important confounders | High risk | No multivariable analyses |
Well‐defined study group (reporting bias) | Unclear risk | Type of cancer and cancer treatment are mentioned but information about specific chemotherapeutic agents and doses are not reported. 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; definition of severe fatigue is based on data query |
Well‐defined outcome fatigue (reporting bias) | Low risk | Authors reported which instrument they used to assess fatigue, and how they described fatigue (continuous scale) |
Well‐defined risk estimation | Low risk | Correlation coefficients are calculated |