High Prevalence of Fatigue is Linked to Depression in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the prevalence is underestimated because it is not intentionally assessed during routine medical evaluation. Our study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with fatigue in patients with IBD. A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. We evaluated fatigue using the validated IBD questionnaire; a score of ≥1 in both sections was considered indicative of fatigue, and the severity increased with a higher score. A total of 109 patients were included in the study. Fatigue was reported in 102 (94%) patients, affecting 95% of men and 92% of women. The prevalence was 97% in Crohn disease and 92% in ulcerative colitis patients. Fatigue is more common in patients with active diseases, anemia, and those who are overweight or obese. Depression, hypoalbuminemia, and active disease were significantly associated with greater severity of fatigue; however, depression was the only independent predictor ( β = 16.094, p = .018). Nine out of 10 patients present some degree of fatigue, regardless of demographic characteristics, and depression is closely related to its severity.