Latent Profiles of Post-Stroke Fatigue and Their Association with Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep in Patients with First-Ever Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives

This study aimed to identify latent profiles of post-stroke fatigue (PSF) and examined their associations with anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and sleep quality among first-ever stroke survivors.

Methods

From December 2023 to May 2024, participants were recruited via convenience sampling from the Neurology Department of a tertiary hospital in Yinchuan, Ningxia. Data were collected using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed using Mplus 8.3. Intergroup differences in psychological symptoms and sleep quality were compared using the Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars (BCH) method.

Results

Three distinct latent profiles were identified: low FSS profile (28.0%), subthreshold intermediate FSS profile (30.2%), and high FSS profile (41.8%). Compared with the low FSS profile, the subthreshold intermediate FSS profile reported significantly higher levels of anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances. Furthermore, the high FSS profile exhibited the most severe symptoms across all three variables compared to both other groups (p < 0.05). Only the high FSS profile exceeded the clinical cut-off for fatigue (FSS ≥ 4).

Conclusions

Post-stroke fatigue exhibits substantial heterogeneity among first-ever stroke patients and is closely linked to psychological distress and poor sleep quality. Clinical interventions should target emotional distress and sleep disorders simultaneously through individualized rehabilitation to potentially enhance patient recovery and quality of life.