Application of latent class analysis in fatigue symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:Use latent class analysis to classify fatigue symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and to explore differences in demographic and disease-related characteristics in different fatigue categories.Methods:Convenient sampling was used to select 250 rheumatoid arthritis patients in Northern Theater General Hospital, and the patients were investigated by a general questionnaire and Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multi-Dimensional Questionnaire.Results:The symptoms of fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis were divided into 3 categories ( P<0.05). According to the conditional probability of each category, they were named as no or mild fatigue (62, 25.1%), moderate fatigue (113, 45.7%) and severe fatigue (72, 29.1%). Joint pain and use of biological agents were major factors influencing fatigue( P<0.05). Conclusions:Joint pain and the use of biologics affect fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis patients. It is recommended that health caregivers pay attention to patients with high pain scores and not using biologics, and give corresponding nursing interventions according to the degree of fatigue.