Fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease: understanding research needs through an exploratory narrative review

Abstract

Aims: To summarise the main findings from research on current understanding of fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: A narrative review of relevant literature corresponding to IBD fatigue was conducted. Results: IBD fatigue is multidimensional and has a complex aetiology. The subjective nature and the lack of a standardised measure of fatigue add to the challenge of developing suitable and effective management methods. Although IBD fatigue is highlighted as a top-five priority research area by N-ECCO, it remains a complex and relatively unexplored area, especially when considering health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient experience. Conclusions: Research on the pathogenesis of IBD-related fatigue, effective measurement and its impact on IBD patients will allow the discovery of predictors of severe fatigue that requires clinical intervention, as well as the development of clear treatment pathways and structured support for IBD patients.