Chronic fatigue is a common symptom associated with transient ischemic attack

1. Over half of transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients experience persistent fatigue up to one-year post-event, with early fatigue and prior anxiety/depression strongly predicting long-term symptoms.

Evidence Rating Level: 2 (Good)

Although transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are defined by the resolution of symptoms within 24 hours, emerging evidence suggests that many patients experience persistent fatigue. This prospective cohort study assessed fatigue in 354 TIA patients over a 12-month period using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) and Fatigue Severity Scale at 14 days, and again at 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. Of 287 respondents at baseline, over half consistently reported pathologic fatigue (MFI-20 General Fatigue ≥12) throughout the year, with 53.8% still affected at 12 months. Fatigue levels remained relatively stable over time. Importantly, the presence of acute infarction on imaging was not associated with fatigue, whereas a history of anxiety or depression was twice as prevalent among fatigued patients. A regression model incorporating early fatigue levels, sex, age, and infarction status explained significantly more variability in 12-month fatigue outcomes than models excluding baseline fatigue (p < 0.001). These findings underscore the persistence of fatigue in a substantial proportion of TIA patients and highlight early self-reported fatigue and mental health history as key predictors.

Click to read the study in Neurology

Image: PD

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