Prevalence and correlates of fatigue in patients with meningioma before and after surgery

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with brain tumors, but comprehensive studies on fatigue in patients with meningioma specifically are lacking. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of fatigue in meningioma patients. METHODS: Patients with grade I meningioma completed the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) before and 1 year after neurosurgery. The MFI consists of 5 subscales: General Fatigue, Physical Fatigue, Mental Fatigue, Reduced Motivation, and Reduced Activity. Patients’ scores were compared with normative data. Preoperative fatigue was compared with postoperative fatigue. Correlations with sex, age, education, tumor hemisphere, preoperative tumor volume, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), symptoms of anxiety/depression, and self-reported cognitive complaints were explored. RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed by 65 patients preoperatively, and 53 patients postoperatively. Of 34 patients, data from both time points were available. Patients had significantly higher fatigue levels on all subscales compared to normative values at both time points. Mean scores on General Fatigue, Physical Fatigue, and Mental Fatigue remained stable over time and improvements were observed on Reduced Motivation and Reduced Activity. Preoperatively, the prevalence of high fatigue (Z-score ≥ 1.3) varied between 34% for Reduced Motivation and 43% for General Fatigue/Mental Fatigue. The postoperative prevalence ranged from 19% for Reduced Activity to 49% on Mental Fatigue. Fatigue was associated with cognitive complaints, anxiety and depression, but not with education, tumor lateralization, tumor volume, or AEDs. CONCLUSION: Fatigue is a common and persistent symptom in patients with meningioma undergoing neurosurgery. Findings emphasize the need for more research and appropriate care targeting fatigue for meningioma patients.