Post-Stroke Fatigue: Difficulties in Measurement and Treatment

Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) affects millions of patients worldwide. It is categorized by debilitating fatigue and lack of motivation pervading numerous aspects of daily life. These difficulties affect patients physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. Current measurements show that anywhere from 25% to 75% of the 17 million people globally who suffer a first-time stroke every year may also suffer from post-stroke fatigue. However, measuring post-stroke fatigue is fraught with numerous issues. Researchers differ in their specific definitions of the condition, and there are various scales used to measure the severity of this fatigue. Moreover, many studies exclude patients in measurement if they have comorbidities such as depression, resulting in an added measure of complexity for comparing and creating meaningful conclusions. Post-stroke fatigue also has limited treatment options, many of which are limited in efficacy at best. Current efforts aim to treat the condition from a variety of lenses, including pharmacological, physical, psychological, and environmental. However, the best interventions are yet to be developed and will likely arise from improved understanding of post-stroke fatigue etiology and associated factors. Herein, we present a brief review of the difficulties in measuring stroke prevalence and treating the condition.