Background
Recently, despite the high prevalence of fatigue in patients, there is a lack of research on the quality of life (QoL) in unexplained fatigue patients, indicating that they are not properly diagnosed and treated. The aim of this study was to compare fatigue severity and QoL between patients with explained and unexplained fatigue.
Methods
The study consisted of 200 Korean adults who complained of fatigue without underlying disease. Fatigue Severity Scale, Short Form Health Survey-36 version 2 (SF-36v2), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) selfquestionnaires were administered. Participants were dichotomized to two groups, namely, patients with unexplained or explained fatigue, sorted according to laboratory examination results. The chi-square test, t-test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used, and analysis of covariance was calculated after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, and physical component summary (PCS) of SF-36v2 or BDI-II.
Results
PCS of SF-36v2 between the two groups showed significant difference. Compared to patients with explained fatigue, those with unexplained fatigue showed lower physical component scores of QoL.
Conclusion
QoL of patients with unexplained fatigue could largely diminish than those with explained fatigue. The primary clinician should be aware of poor QoL in patients with unexplained fatigue to identify who is in need of more attention and intervention.

Citations

• The Development and Initial Validation of the REST Questionnaire: A Multidimensional Tool for Assessing Fatigue in Individuals with and Without a History of Cancer
  Giuseppe Di Lorenzo, Carlo Buonerba, Raffaele Baio, Eleonora Monteleone, Francesco Passaro, Antonio Tufano, Vittorino Montanaro, Vittorio Riccio, Ilaria Gallo, Francesca Cappuccio, Federica Fortino, Anna Buonocore, Federica Monaco, Antonio Verde, Anna Rit
  Diseases.2025; 13(1): 15.     CrossRef
• Die ärztliche Wahrnehmung von ME/CFS-Erkrankten (myalgische Enzephalomyelitis/chronisches Fatigue-Syndrom) als „schwierige Patienten“
  Lotte Habermann-Horstmeier, Lukas M. Horstmeier
  Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung.2024; 19(4): 567.     CrossRef
• Psychometric evaluation of the Arabic version of the fatigue 5-item measure (FM) among physiotherapy patients in Libya
  Alhadi M. Jahan, Ali E. Rwaiha, Fatma A. Iqmeea
  Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior.2024; 12(1): 1.     CrossRef
• Systemisches Denken, subjektive Befunde und das diagnostische „Schubladendenken“ bei ME/CFS – Eine vorwiegend qualitative Public-Health-Studie aus Patientensicht
  Lotte Habermann-Horstmeier, Lukas Maximilian Horstmeier
  DMW - Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift.2024; 149(04): e19.     CrossRef
• Impact of vortioxetine on psychosocial functioning moderated by symptoms of fatigue in post-COVID-19 condition: a secondary analysis
  Sebastian Badulescu, Gia Han Le, Sabrina Wong, Angela T. H. Kwan, Ziji Guo, Kayla M. Teopiz, Lee Phan, Mehala Subramaniapillai, Joshua D. Rosenblat, Rodrigo B. Mansur, Roger S. McIntyre
  Neurological Sciences.2024; 45(4): 1335.     CrossRef
• Fatigue in Prostate Cancer: A Roundtable Discussion and Thematic Literature Review
  Philip Cornford, Esther Robijn, Eamonn Rogers, Richard Wassersug, Louisa Fleure
  European Urology Open Science.2024; 63: 119.     CrossRef
• Factors associated with postpartum fatigue: an exploration of the moderating role of resilience
  Baian A. Baattaiah, Mutasim D. Alharbi, Monira I. Aldhahi, Fayaz Khan
  Frontiers in Public Health.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Effectiveness of meditation for fatigue management: Insight from a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis
  Byung-Jin Park, Yujin Choi, Jin-Seok Lee, Yo-Chan Ahn, Eun-Jung Lee, Chang-Gue Son
  General Hospital Psychiatry.2024; 91: 33.     CrossRef
• Fatigue in der Allgemeinbevölkerung: Ergebnisse der Studie „Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell“ (GEDA 2023)
  Christina Poethko-Müller, Angelika Schaffrath Rosario, Giselle Sarganas, Ana Ordonez Cruickshank, Christa Scheidt-Nave, Robert Schlack
  Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz.2024; 67(11): 1208.     CrossRef
• Impact of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptoms Based on the STOP-BANG Questionnaire: A Prospective Study
  Abdullah Musleh, Walid M. Abd El Maksoud, Abdullah Dalboh, Khaled S. Abbas, Sarah Alshehri, Mohammed A. Bawahab, Abdulrahman J. Alqahtani, Adnan Q. Al-Malki
  Bariatric Surgical Practice and Patient Care.2023; 18(2): 115.     CrossRef
• Factors Determining the Level of Acceptance of Illness and Satisfaction with Life in Patients with Cancer
  Renata Piotrkowska, Agnieszka Kruk, Aneta Krzemińska, Wioletta Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska, Katarzyna Kwiecień-Jaguś
  Healthcare.2023; 11(8): 1168.     CrossRef
• Trends in study topics related to quality of life in Industry 4.0: A bibliometric analysis
  Cristiano Couto do Amarante, David Nunes Resende, Evandro Eduardo Broday, Claudia Tania Picinin
  Work.2023; 76(4): 1357.     CrossRef
• The demographic features of fatigue in the general population worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  Ji-Hae Yoon, Na-Hyun Park, Ye-Eun Kang, Yo-Chan Ahn, Eun-Jung Lee, Chang-Gue Son
  Frontiers in Public Health.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Exploring the efficacy and safety of a novel standardized ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract (Witholytin®) in adults experiencing high stress and fatigue in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
  Stephen J Smith, Adrian L Lopresti, Timothy J Fairchild
  Journal of Psychopharmacology.2023; 37(11): 1091.     CrossRef
• Megestrol Acetate in the Treatment of Post COVID-19 Fatigue in a Patient of Advanced Cancer: A Case Report and Mini Review of Literature
  Chaitanya R Patil, Nilesh A Dhamne, Prasad K Tanawade, Namrata B Mestri
  Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology.2022; 43(02): 139.     CrossRef
• “I Just Want to Feel Safe Going to a Doctor”: Experiences of Female Patients with Chronic Conditions in Australia
  Lea Merone, Komla Tsey, Darren Russell, Cate Nagle
  Women's Health Reports.2022; 3(1): 1016.     CrossRef
• Physical and Mental Health Related Quality of Life and Their Influencing Factors on Sexual Minority Women in Korea
  Ssirai Kim, Smi Choi-Kwon
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2021; 18(4): 2115.     CrossRef
• Is Quality of Life related to the postmenopausal women' sexual life?
  Tahereh JALALI, Zahra BOSTANI KHALESI, Fatemeh JAFARZADEH-KENARSARI
  Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Nationwide epidemiological characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome in South Korea
  Eun-Jin Lim, Jin-Seok Lee, Eun-Jung Lee, Seok-Ju Jeong, Ho-Young Park, Yo-Chan Ahn, Chang-Gue Son
  Journal of Translational Medicine.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Prevalence and correlates of fatigue and its association with quality of life among clinically stable older psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional study
  Siyun Zou, Zi-Han Liu, Xiaona Yan, Huan Wang, Yulong Li, Xiuying Xu, Xiangdong Du, Lan Zhang, Qinge Zhang, Todd Jackson, Gabor S. Ungvari, Yu-Tao Xiang
  Globalization and Health.2020;[Epub]     CrossRef
• A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males
  Adrian L. Lopresti, Peter D. Drummond, Stephen J. Smith
  American Journal of Men's Health.2019;[Epub]     CrossRef