Original Article Effects of a Walking Intervention on Fatigue-Related Experiences of Hospitalized Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial Pi-Hua Chang MSNa, Yeur-Hur Lai PhD, a, , Shiow-Ching Shun PhDa, Lih-Ying Lin MSNa, Mei-Ling Chen PhDa, Youngsen Yang MDa, Jen-Chen Tsai DSNa, Guey-Shiun Huang PhCa and Sue-Yueh Cheng PhCa aDepartment of Nursing (P.-H.C., L.-Y.L.), and Internal Medicine Department (Y.Y.), Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung; Department of Nursing (Y.-H.L., S.-C.S., G.-S.H.), College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei; Graduate Institute of Nursing, Chang-Gung University (M.-L.C.), Tau-Yuan; and School of Nursing (J.-C.T., S.-Y.C.), Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Republic of China Available online 15 February 2008. Abstract The purpose of this randomized, controlled clinical trial was to preliminarily examine the effects of a three-week walking exercise program (WEP) on fatigue-related experiences of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients receiving chemotherapy. Eligible AML patients were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 11), which received 12 minutes of WEP per day, five days per week for three consecutive weeks, or to a control group (n = 11), which received standard ward care. Effects of the WEP were assessed by seven indicators: worst and average fatigue intensities, fatigue interference with patients' daily life, 12-minute walking distance, overall symptom distress, anxiety, and depressive status. All patients were evaluated four times: before chemotherapy (baseline or Day 1), Day 7, Day 14, and Day 21 of chemotherapy. Data were analyzed by Generalized Estimating Equation and revealed that AML patients in the three-week WEP group had a significantly greater increase in 12-minute walking distance than the control group. Patients in the WEP also had lower levels of fatigue intensity and interference, symptom distress, anxiety, and depressive status than the control group. Although preliminary, our results strongly suggest that three weeks of systematic walking exercise is clinically feasible for AML patients undergoing chemotherapy and can effectively improve their fatigue-related experiences. Address correspondence to: Yeur-Hur Lai, PhD, National Taiwan University, School of Nursing, College of Medicine, #1 Jen-Ai Road Sector 1, Taipei 100, Taiwan. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management Article in Press, Corrected Proof Posted February 2008 Walking May Relieve Fatigue in Leukemia Patients J Pain & Symptom Management, May 2008 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.