Patients with type 1 diabetes in Sweden experience more fatigue than the general population

Abstract

Aims Type 2 diabetes has been linked to fatigue, but results on type 1 diabetes are ambiguous. Our aim was to determine if type 1 diabetes is associated with fatigue and whether the fatigue is due to complications or to the disease itself. Methods The Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), was submitted to all 435 adult patients with type 1 diabetes in the National Diabetes Register at the Sunderby Hospital clinic and to a control group of 2500 persons. The participation rate was 62% in both groups. Results Type 1 diabetes was associated with greater fatigue, with a 1.4-point difference (0.9–1.9, 95% CI) in general fatigue on a scale of 4–20. Type 1 diabetes was an independent predictor of fatigue, as were cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease . Women with long diabetes duration but without complications experienced more fatigue than women in the general population (difference in general fatigue = 2.5, p = 0.021), whereas men showed no significant difference. Conclusions Type 1 diabetes is associated with greater fatigue, partly ascribed to vascular disease. Type 1 diabetes of long duration might be associated with fatigue regardless of classical complications, but further research is needed to confirm results.