Analysis of cancer-related fatigue based on smart bracelet devices

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is the most common symptom associated with cancer and its treatment, and profoundly affects all aspects of quality of life for cancer patients. It is very important to measure and manage cancer-related fatigue. Usually, the cancer-related fatigue scores, which estimate the degree of fatigue, are self-reported by cancer patients using standardized assessment tools. But most of the classical methods used for measurement of fatigue are subjective and inconvenient. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we try to establish a new method to assess cancer-related fatigue objectively and accurately by using smart bracelet. METHODS: All patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer wore smart bracelet for recording the physical activity including step count and sleep time before and after chemotherapy. Meantime, their psychological state was assessed by completing questionnaire tables as cancer-related fatigue scores. RESULTS: Step count record by smart bracelet reflecting the physical performance dramatically decreased in the initial days of chemotherapy and recovered in the next few days. Statistical analysis showed a strong and significant correlation between self-reported cancer-related fatigue and physical performance (P = 0.000, r = -0.929). Sleep time was also significantly correlated with fatigue (P = 0.000, r = 0.723). Multiple regression analysis showed that physical performance and sleep time are significant predictors of fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Measuring activity using smart bracelets may be an appropriate method for quantitative and objective measurement of cancer-related fatigue by using smart bracelet devices.