Impact of fatigue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: results from an exploratory study.

INTRODUCTION: Fatigue, which is also present in the healthy population, is a common but understudied symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesized that clinically significant fatigue is also frequent in COPD and can be associated with an increased disease burden. METHODS: An exploratory analysis derived from an ongoing cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate levels of fatigue and impact on health-related quality of life/health status in patients with COPD (COPD group; n = 20) and healthy subjects (control group; n = 5). Health-related quality of life was measured using the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), health status with the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), and airways obstruction with postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 %predicted). Fatigue was measured with the vitality score of the SF-36, its clinical significance being defined by values of 50 or less. Fatigue was also measured using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy scale for fatigue (FACIT-F). RESULTS: Vitality scores were significantly worse in the COPD group (45.60 versus 76.25; p = 0.004). FACIT-F scores were significantly lower in the COPD group versus the control group (74.5 versus 95.0; p = 0.03). Clinically significant fatigue was detected in 60% of the COPD group, and was associated with a worse FEV1 %predicted (47.71 versus 65.82%; p = 0.016), worse symptoms burden (CCQ symptoms score 3.75 versus 2.43; p = 0.019), and worse overall health status (CCQ total score 3.30 versus 2.11; p = 0.011). Its link with systemic inflammation remains to be clarified further. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant fatigue is common among patients with COPD and is associated with an increased disease burden. It should therefore be integrated as a measure of disease prognosis and control in patients with COPD.

[Deletion of two genes from the genome of fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Genetic manipulation and phenotype study]. / Deletia a doua gene din genomul drojdiei fisipare Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Manipulare genetica si studiu fenotipic.

The aim of this study was to delete two genes from the genome of the fission yeast S. pombe in order to search for their functions in the cell. These genes are SPAC869.02c (MRI) and SPBC21C3.19 (MR2) and previous studies reported their significant induction after gamma irradiation. We carried out the deletions of the two genes and we replaced them with the selection marker ura4. Among the phenotype characteristics we tested the viability, the sexual behaviour and the radiosensitivity to ultraviolet and gamma irradiation. Our results indicate that MR1-deleted strain is sensitive to both UV and gamma irradiation, while the survival of the irradiated MR2-deleted strain doesn't appear to be influenced by the deletion. This suggests an involvement of MR1 gene in the adaptive response triggered by these types of genotoxic aggression. The comparison of MR1-d and MR2-d with the double deleted strains containing the deletion of MR1 or MR2 combined with the deletion of sty1 or rad3 genes led to a surprising result: the double mutants MR1-d sty1-d and MR1-d rad3-d were more resistant to both UV and gamma irradiation than the simple deleted strains sty1-d and rad3-d, respectively. This suggests a possible contribution of MR1 gene to the lethal process taking place in irradiated cells.