Background 

Patients with gastrointestinal cancers experience diurnal variations in fatigue severity during chemotherapy that decrease their functional status and quality of life.

Objectives 

Study purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct co-occurring morning and evening fatigue profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups in demographic, clinical, stress, and symptom characteristics.

Methods 

Patients with gastrointestinal cancers (n = 405) completed questionnaires 6 times over 2 cycles of chemotherapy. The Lee Fatigue Scale was used to evaluate diurnal variations in fatigue severity. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of patients with distinct co-occurring morning AND evening fatigue profiles. Differences among the subgroups in demographic, clinical, stress, and symptom characteristics at enrollment were evaluated using parametric and nonparametric analyses.

Results 

Two classes were identified, namely: low morning and moderate evening fatigue (ie, Low-Moderate, 60.0%) and high morning and high evening fatigue (ie, Both High, 40.0%). Compared with the Low-Moderate class, the Both High class was significantly younger, female, unmarried, and unemployed and lacked regular exercise. In addition, they had childcare responsibilities, lower annual income, lower functional status, higher comorbidity burden, and self-reported anemia and depression. Patients in the Both High class reported higher levels of anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance, pain, and stress, and lower levels of energy and cognitive function.

Conclusions 

Findings provide new insights into the risk factors for higher levels of co-occurring morning and evening fatigue in patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

Implications for Practice 

Clinicians can use this information to identify high-risk patients and develop personalized symptom management interventions.