Fatigue Scales List

Based on the retrieved evidence, numerous validated scales are available for fatigue assessment across various clinical populations. The choice of scale depends on the specific disease context, the clinical setting (routine care vs. clinical trials), and the dimensions of fatigue being assessed (e.g., severity, impact, physical vs. mental). ### Commonly Cited Fatigue Scales The following table summarizes the most frequently mentioned scales across the retrieved guidelines and consensus statements. | Scale Name | Abbreviation | Description & Key Features | Clinical Context (from retrieved evidence) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Chalder Fatigue Scale** | CFS / CFQ-11 | An 11-item self-report questionnaire assessing physical and mental fatigue severity. Items scored 0-3 (Likert scale); higher total score indicates greater fatigue [1]. | Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) [1]; Myasthenia Gravis (MG) [3]; Inflammatory Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (I-RMDs) [4]; Sleep Medicine [2]. | | **Fatigue Severity Scale** | FSS | A 9-item scale assessing the impact of fatigue on daily functioning over the past week. Items scored 1-7; final score is the average of all items. Higher scores indicate greater fatigue severity [1]. | PASC [1]; MG [3]; I-RMDs [4]; Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) [2]; General Rehabilitation [6]. | | **Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory** | MFI-20 | A 20-item scale providing a more detailed, multidimensional assessment of fatigue (e.g., general fatigue, physical fatigue, reduced activity, reduced motivation, mental fatigue) [3]. | MG [3]; I-RMDs [4]; General Rehabilitation [6]. | | **Visual Analogue Scale** | VAS-Fatigue | A single-item scale (e.g., 0-10 or 0-100 mm line) for quantifying subjective fatigue intensity. Simple and widely used [1]. | PASC [1]; I-RMDs [4]; General Rehabilitation [6]. | | **Fatigue Impact Scale** | FIS | Assesses the perceived impact of fatigue on physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning [3]. | MG [3]; I-RMDs [4]; General Rehabilitation [6]. | | **Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Fatigue Scale** | PROMIS Fatigue | A validated, computer-adaptive or short-form tool for assessing fatigue. Increasingly used in clinical trials [3][5]. | MG (in trials) [3]; Pediatric Oncology [5]. | | **DePaul Symptom Questionnaire-Short-Form** | DSQ-SF | Assesses frequency and severity of key symptoms (including fatigue) over the past 6 months on a 0-4 scale [1]. | PASC [1]. | | **Fatigue Assessment Scale** | FAS | A 10-item scale measuring physical and mental fatigue [2][4]. | OSAHS [2]; I-RMDs [4]. | | **Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue** | FACIT-F | A 13-item subscale widely used in oncology and rheumatic diseases to assess fatigue over the past week [4]. | I-RMDs [4]. | ### Disease-Specific Recommendations - **Post-COVID-19 Condition (PASC)**: The clinical practice guideline recommends using the **FSS, CFS, DSQ-SF, or VAS** for assessment, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach to differentiate physical and mental domains [1]. - **Myasthenia Gravis (MG)**: The consensus statement notes that while an MG-specific scale (MGFS) exists, it is not consistently used. The **FSS, FIS, and CFQ-11** are among the most common and reliable non-specific tools. The **MFI-20** offers a more detailed assessment [3]. - **Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (I-RMDs)**: The 2023 EULAR recommendations list over 20 instruments used in systematic reviews, including the **FACIT-F, FSS, MFI, and VAS-Fatigue** [4]. - **Pediatric Oncology**: The 2023 guideline update recommends routine assessment using a validated scale, such as the **SSPedi** or **PROMIS fatigue scale** [5]. ### Critical Gaps - **No Universal Gold Standard**: There is no single, universally accepted "gold standard" fatigue scale. The choice is context-dependent [2][3]. - **Lack of Disease-Specific Validation**: Many scales have not been specifically validated for all patient populations. For example, none of the common scales were specifically developed for neuromuscular patients [6], and evidence for the most appropriate scale in generalized MG is considered minimal [3]. - **Objective Assessment**: To date, there is no validated objective assessment tool for fatigue; all are subjective, patient-reported measures [2]. ### Conclusion The available evidence presents a wide array of validated fatigue scales, with the **Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS)** and **Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)** being the most broadly cited across multiple disease states, while the **Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20)** and **PROMIS Fatigue** offer more detailed or trial-oriented assessments. --- *This response is based on retrieved clinical guidelines and consensus statements. Clinical application should consider the specific patient population and setting, and all sources should be verified for the most current recommendations.*