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Fatigue and carnitine levels over multiple cycles of chemotherapy in children and adolescents.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Hooke, MC; McCarthy, K; Taylor, O; Hockenberry, MJ
Published in: European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society
February 2015

Fatigue in childhood cancer is a pervasive and distressing symptom described as a "lack of energy". Carnitine is a micronutrient used to transport long chain fatty acids into muscle mitochondria. Some chemotherapy drugs interfere with the carnitine network. Both carnitine and fatigue relate to physical energy and may be influenced by chemotherapy. Using a repeated measures design, change in carnitine levels and change in fatigue in childhood cancer patients receiving ifosfamide, cisplatin, or doxorubicin were examined over multiple chemotherapy cycles. The influence of carnitine levels on fatigue was evaluated.Fifty-eight patients, between ages 3 and 18 years, within two months from diagnosis and receiving cisplatin, doxorubicin, and/or ifosfamide chemotherapy drugs, participated. Measurements included carnitine plasma levels and self-reported fatigue using established child or adolescent fatigue scales and were collected during the 2nd cycle of chemotherapy, and repeated on alternating cycles up to cycle 8. The Parent Fatigue Scale was used for children under age 7.Total and free carnitine levels did not change significantly for the group. Fatigue decreased significantly in children age 7-12 (p = 0.04). Relationships between fatigue and carnitine were not significant.Changes in carnitine plasma levels were not significant in this sample of patients. The carnitine levels remained within the reference values for children and were not associated with fatigue levels. School-age children may be more resilient to fatigue over the trajectory of treatment. Further research is needed into the biologic mechanisms of fatigue.

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Published In

European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society

DOI

EISSN

1532-2122

ISSN

1462-3889

Publication Date

February 2015

Volume

19

Issue

1

Start / End Page

7 / 12

Related Subject Headings

  • Self Report
  • Nursing
  • Neoplasms
  • Male
  • Ifosfamide
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Fatigue
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Doxorubicin
 

Citation

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MLA
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Hooke, M. C., McCarthy, K., Taylor, O., & Hockenberry, M. J. (2015). Fatigue and carnitine levels over multiple cycles of chemotherapy in children and adolescents. European Journal of Oncology Nursing : The Official Journal of European Oncology Nursing Society, 19(1), 7–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2014.07.015
Hooke, Mary C., Kathleen McCarthy, Olga Taylor, and Marilyn J. Hockenberry. “Fatigue and carnitine levels over multiple cycles of chemotherapy in children and adolescents.European Journal of Oncology Nursing : The Official Journal of European Oncology Nursing Society 19, no. 1 (February 2015): 7–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2014.07.015.
Hooke MC, McCarthy K, Taylor O, Hockenberry MJ. Fatigue and carnitine levels over multiple cycles of chemotherapy in children and adolescents. European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society. 2015 Feb;19(1):7–12.
Hooke, Mary C., et al. “Fatigue and carnitine levels over multiple cycles of chemotherapy in children and adolescents.European Journal of Oncology Nursing : The Official Journal of European Oncology Nursing Society, vol. 19, no. 1, Feb. 2015, pp. 7–12. Epmc, doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2014.07.015.
Hooke MC, McCarthy K, Taylor O, Hockenberry MJ. Fatigue and carnitine levels over multiple cycles of chemotherapy in children and adolescents. European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society. 2015 Feb;19(1):7–12.
Journal cover image

Published In

European journal of oncology nursing : the official journal of European Oncology Nursing Society

DOI

EISSN

1532-2122

ISSN

1462-3889

Publication Date

February 2015

Volume

19

Issue

1

Start / End Page

7 / 12

Related Subject Headings

  • Self Report
  • Nursing
  • Neoplasms
  • Male
  • Ifosfamide
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Fatigue
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Doxorubicin