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. 2023 Dec;39(6):151516.
doi: 10.1016/j.soncn.2023.151516. Epub 2023 Nov 14.

Decrements in Both Physical and Cognitive Function Are Associated With a Higher Symptom Burden in Oncology Patients

Dianne Sorrera  1 , Astrid Block  1 , Lynda Mackin  1 , Steven M Paul  1 , Bruce A Cooper  1 , Marilyn J Hammer  2 , Yvette P Conley  3 , Jon D Levine  4 , Christine Miaskowski  5
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Free article

Decrements in Both Physical and Cognitive Function Are Associated With a Higher Symptom Burden in Oncology Patients

Dianne Sorrera et al. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2023 Dec.
Free article

Abstract

Objectives: Physical and cognitive function are two of the most important patient-reported outcomes. In oncology patients receiving chemotherapy (N = 1331), purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct joint physical and cognitive function profiles and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, severity of common symptoms, and quality of life outcomes.

Data sources: Measures of physical and cognitive functions were obtained six times over two cycles of chemotherapy. All of the other measures were done prior to the second or third cycle of chemotherapy. Latent profile analysis was done to identify the distinct joint physical and cognitive function profiles. Differences among the profiles were evaluated using parametric and nonparametric tests.

Conclusion: Five distinct profiles were identified (ie, Very Low Physical and Low Cognitive Function [18.4%; Both Low], Low Physical and High Cognitive Function [19.8%], Moderate Physical and Low Cognitive Function [26.7%], Changing Physical and Cognitive Function [5.4%], and Normal Physical and Cognitive Function [29.7%]). Patients in the Both Low class had the highest symptom burden and the poorest quality of life. Over 70% of the sample had moderate to severe decrements in one or both of these extremely important patient outcomes.

Implications for nursing practice: Clinicians need to assess for both physical and cognitive function using simple subjective and objective measures.

Keywords: Anxiety; Cancer; Cognitive function; Cognitive impairment; Depression; Fatigue; Pain; Patient-reported outcomes; Physical function; Sleep disturbance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interest to declare.

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