Evidence on definitions, concepts, outcome instruments, and interventions for chronic fatigue in spinal cord injury: a scoping review protocol.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to review the existing evidence on definitions, concepts, measurement instruments, and interventions for chronic fatigue in spinal cord injury.

INTRODUCTION

Chronic fatigue in people with spinal cord injury is an under-studied issue that affects between 25% and 56.6% of people with spinal cord injury. There are questions about how it is defined and managed due to its complex, multifactorial nature and relationship with related conditions. No overview of chronic fatigue in spinal cord injury exists and we are in need of a shared definition of chronic fatigue, as well as a comprehensive review of concepts and evidence supporting outcome instruments and interventions.

INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review will include empirical and non-empirical studies that focus on definitions, concepts, measurement instruments, and interventions for chronic fatigue in spinal cord injury. Studies that focus on peripheral muscle fatigue will only be included if they include chronic fatigue as a secondary outcome.

METHODS

This review will be done in three phases. Phase I will provide an overview of definitions of chronic fatigue in spinal cord injury and will include a qualitative analysis of concept attributes and characteristics. Phase II will focus on factors related to chronic fatigue and measurement instruments used to measure chronic fatigue, and phase III will focus on interventions. Full texts will be screened by two independent reviewers against inclusion criteria. Results will be presented in tabular form with a narrative summary.