There have been many epidemiological and clinical researches on chronic fatigue (CF) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) since the 1990s, but such studies have been quite limited in Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the point prevalence of CF and CFS in patients who visited community-based eight primary care clinics in Korea. The study subjects were 1,648 patients aged 18 yr and over who visited one of eight primary care clinics in Korea between the 7th and 17th of May 2001. The physicians determined the status of the subjects through fatigue-related questionnaires, medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests. The subjects were categorized into no fatigue, prolonged fatigue, CF and then CF were further classified to medically explained CF (Physical CF and Psychological CF) and medically unexplained CF (CFS and idiopathic chronic fatigue). The point prevalence of CF and CFS were 8.4% (95% CI 7.1-9.7%) and 0.6% (95% CI 0.2-1.0%). Medically explained CF was 80.5% of CF, of which 57.1% had psychological causes. The clinical characteristics of CFS were distinguished from explained CF. CF was common but CFS was rare in community-based primary care settings in Korea.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Distribution ; Chronic Disease ; Community Health Services/statistics & numerical data ; Comparative Study ; Fatigue/*epidemiology ; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence ; Sex Distribution

OBJECTIVETo study the common characters of sub-healthy people.

METHODSQuestionnaire of clinical epidemiological investigation was adopted in the sub-healthy people.

RESULTSThe commonest symptoms and their frequency in sub-healthy people were fatigue 78.7%, poor quality of sleep 73.4%, amnesia 59.9%, fatigue irrelievable after rest 59.1%, dry throat 59.0%, dizziness 58.6%, dry and xerotic eyes 58.3%, ache with distension eyes 57.8%, ache 56.4%, early awakening 52.7%, difficulty in falling asleep 52.5%, irritability 51.8%, etc. The commonest risk factors were lack of relaxation 60.4%, lack of physical exercise 58.0%, working with frequent extra shifts 56.7%, air pollution 56.2%, noise pollution 51.3%, etc. The commonest syndrome types in sub-healthy people were insufficiency of Pi-qi type 10.2%, Gan-qi stagnation and Pi deficiency type 10.1%, deficiency of Xin and Pi type 9.7 %, retention of dampness due to Pi-deficiency type 7.4% and qi deficiency type 4.2%, et al.

CONCLUSIONThe commonest symptoms in sub-healthy people are fatigue, poor quality of sleep, amnesia, irrelievable fatigue after taking rest, dry throat, dizziness, dry and xeritic eyes, ache with distension in eyes, ache, early awakening, difficulty in falling asleep, irritability, etc. The commonest risk factors are lack of relaxation and physical exercise, working with frequent shift, air and noise pollution. The commonest syndromes of sub-healthy people are insufficiency of Pi-qi type, Gan qi stagnation and Pi deficiency type, deficiency of Xin and Pi type, retention of dampness due to Pi deficiency type, qi deficiency type. These provides evidence for prevention and treatment of sub-health with TCM.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires

INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to study the prevalence of frailty and its associated factors in a subacute geriatric ward. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 167 participants between June 2018 and June 2019. Baseline demographics and participants' Mini Nutritional Assessment, Geriatric Depression Scale, Mini Mental State Examination, Charlson's Comorbidity Index and LACE index scores were obtained. Functional measurements such as modified Barthel's Index scores and hand grip strength (HGS) were taken. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and the FRAIL scale. Data on history of healthcare utilisation, medications, length of stay, selected blood investigations and presence of geriatric syndromes were also collected. RESULTS: The prevalence of pre-frailty (CFS 4) and frailty (CFS ≥ 5) was 16.2% and 63.4%, respectively. There were significant associations between CFS and age (pre-frail vs. non-frail: odds ratio [OR] 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.25, P = 0.006; frail vs. non-frail: OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.15, P = 0.021), HGS at discharge (frail vs. non-frail: OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.99, P = 0.025), serum albumin (frail vs. non-frail: OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.99, P = 0.035) and the presence of urinary incontinence (frail vs. non-frail: OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.19-7.77, P = 0.021). CONCLUSION Frailty is highly prevalent in the subacute geriatric setting and has many associated factors. In this study, independent factors associated with frailty were age, HGS at discharge, serum albumin and urinary incontinence. This has implications for future resource allocation for frail older inpatients and may help direct further research to study the effectiveness of frailty-targeted interventions.
Humans ; Aged ; Frailty/epidemiology* ; Frail Elderly ; Hand Strength ; Prevalence ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic ; Geriatric Assessment ; Urinary Incontinence ; Serum Albumin