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This is a literature review report to describe characteristics (frequency, intensity and correlates) of fatigue in cases of heart failure. MedLine and LILACS were the examined databases. Out of 89 articles identified, 27 were selected for data extraction. Fatigue frequency ranged from 69% to 88% and fatigue intensities are incomparable due to differences in measurement scales. Quality of life, illness progression, physical activity, social and demographic variables, comorbidity, treatment and who assessed the fatigue were variables studied in relation to fatigue. The diversity of fatigue assessment methods causes difficulties to integrate results on fatigue frequency, characteristics and related factors. No study was found on fatigue characteristics in samples of Brazilian heart failure patients.

Fatigue is a human response in varied acute and chronic conditions and also in general population. This article reports a study conducted to estimate reliability and validity of the Dutch Fatigue Scale (DUFS) and the Dutch Exertion Fatigue Scale (DEFS) adapted for Brazilian use. Three-hundred heart failure patients and 64 healthier volunteers answered the DUFS and DEFS translated into Portuguese. Factorial analysis of DUFS and DEFS items yield a solution with one factor for each scale (explained variance = 53.9%), and good reliability estimates were obtained by the Chronbach's alpha (DUFS=.85 e DEFS=.92). In the patient sample, scales scores were positively associated with heart failure functional class (DUFS and DEFS p=.00), depression scores (DUFS r s=.63; p=.00 and DEFS r s=.55; p=.00), and sleep disturbance (DUFS and DEFS p=.00). Brazilian versions of DUFS and DEFS presented psychometric properties similar to those of the original ones.

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