Heterogeneity of pain-fatigue-sleep disturbance symptom clusters in lung cancer patients after chemotherapy: a latent profile analysis

Pain-fatigue-sleep disturbance symptom cluster (PFS) was common in patients with lung cancer and seriously affected the life quality of patients. However, the heterogeneity and subgroups of PFS were unclear in lung cancer patients after chemotherapy. This study was conducted to identify distinct subgroups of PFS in patients with lung cancer after chemotherapy, and explore the differences and risk factors of PFS subgroups.

Lung cancer patients after chemotherapy were recruited. Data were collected using the Chinese version of the Brief Pain Inventory, the Cancer Fatigue Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify the subgroups of PFS. Univariate analysis was used to identify the differences among all subgroups. Logistic regression and restricted cubic splines were used to investigate predictors of the PFS subgroups.

Based on LPA, 512 participants were divided into four subgroups (Class 1: low pain-fatigue-sleep disturbance; Class 2: moderate pain-moderate fatigue-low sleep disturbance, Class 3: low pain-high fatigue-high sleep disturbance, and Class 4: high pain-fatigue-sleep disturbance). The univariate analysis showed that gender, body mass index (BMI), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, leukocyte, neutrophils, platelet, C-reactive protein, stress, anxiety, depression, and social support were associated with PFS. The logistic regression analysis revealed that patients in Class 2 and Class 3 were more likely to experience great stress than those in Class 1. Additionally, compared to Class 1, females, lower BMI, stress, anxiety, and depression were independent predictors of Class 4.

This study successfully identified subgroups of PFS in patients with lung cancer after chemotherapy. Based on the results of this study, medical workers can identify patients with high risks for PFS and conduct more targeted interventions to improve symptom management.