Original article

Assessment of fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F) scale

Authors

• • Melika Salihović Jahić melika_tz_@hotmail.com Email Melika Salihović Jahić. (compose email, opens in email app.) Melika Salihović Jahić ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Maida Skokić
  • Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Nadina Kurtanović
  • Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Health Institution Spa Gata Bihać, Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Alma Serak Tokic
  • Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Amra Tulumović Mešanović
  • Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Emir Bećirović Emir Bećirović ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Minela Bećirović Minela Bećirović ORCID profile. (opens in new tab)
  • Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Alisa Imamović
  • Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Halima Bajrektarević
  • Health Centre Gradačac, Gradačac, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Naid Dizdarević
  • Clinic of Internal Medicine, University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• • Nihada Čerkezović
  • Clinic for Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care, University Clinical Centre Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Aim: To assess fatigue severity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) scale and to examine its association with demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and lifestyle-related factors.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 90 adults with RA. Fatigue was assessed using the FACIT-F scale, and disease activity was assessed using the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28). Continuous variables were summarised as medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs). Associations were evaluated using Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and robust linear regression analyses.

Results: The median FACIT-F score was 37.0 [IQR 27.0 – 45.0], and 35.6% of patients had moderate-to-severe fatigue. FACIT-F correlated negatively with DAS28 (ρ = −0.381; p < 0.001). In multivariable robust regression, DAS28 remained associated with FACIT-F score after adjustment for age and disease duration (β = −3.54; 95% confidence interval −5.39 to −1.68; p < 0.001), whereas age and disease duration were not significant. FACIT-F scores differed by sex and employment status but not by treatment category.

Conclusion: Fatigue is a prevalent and clinically important symptom in RA. Higher disease activity was associated with greater fatigue severity, supporting comprehensive assessment of fatigue beyond inflammatory disease activity alone.

Keywords: arthritis, rheumatoid, fatigue, patient-reported outcome measures, severity of illness index

How to Cite: Salihović Jahić, M. , Skokić, M. , Kurtanović, N. , Serak Tokic, A. , Tulumović Mešanović, A. , Bećirović, E. , Bećirović, M. , Imamović, A. , Bajrektarević, H. , Dizdarević, N. & Čerkezović, N. (2026) “Assessment of fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F) scale”, Medicinski glasnik. 23(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.17392/medglas-2190-23-2