Physical activity and fatigue in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): a systematic review

Abstract

Background: Fatigue is frequently reported in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In IBD patients, physical activity levels have been shown to have an impact on, and be impacted by, disease activity. Yet, to date, there have been no systematic reviews considering the impact of physical activity on levels of IBD fatigue. This study aims to investigate whether physical activity has the potential to improve levels of IBD fatigue in adults with IBD. Methods: Systematic database search (CINAHL, Embase, PsychInfo, PsycARTICLES, AMED, Medline) and hand searching were conducted on 3 March 2019. Searches were restricted to ‘human’, ‘adult’, ‘primary research’ and ‘English language’ publications. No time limit was set. Quality appraisal and data extraction was undertaken by at least two reviewers. Results: The searches yielded 32 publications; two studies were included in the review. Physical activity was found to be inhibited by higher fatigue levels, lowering health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but also as a means of reducing fatigue, subsequently improving HRQoL. Conclusion: Results identified relationships between IBD fatigue and physical activity. However, further research is warranted, as exploring this information would allow better understanding of IBD fatigue and inform future work on possible fatigue interventions in IBD.