Objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome
Abstract Background Primary aim of this study was to compare cognitive performance of patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome (QFS) to matched controls from the general population, while taking performance validity into account. Second, we investigated whether objective cognitive p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Infectious Diseases |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-020-05118-z |
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| author | Daphne F. M. Reukers Justine Aaronson Joris A. F. van Loenhout Birte Meyering Koos van der Velden Jeannine L. A. Hautvast Cornelia H. M. van Jaarsveld Roy P. C. Kessels |
| author_facet | Daphne F. M. Reukers Justine Aaronson Joris A. F. van Loenhout Birte Meyering Koos van der Velden Jeannine L. A. Hautvast Cornelia H. M. van Jaarsveld Roy P. C. Kessels |
| author_sort | Daphne F. M. Reukers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Primary aim of this study was to compare cognitive performance of patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome (QFS) to matched controls from the general population, while taking performance validity into account. Second, we investigated whether objective cognitive performance was related to subjective cognitive complaints or psychological wellbeing. Methods Cognitive functioning was assessed with a neuropsychological test battery measuring the domains of processing speed, episodic memory, working memory and executive functioning. Tests for performance validity and premorbid intelligence were also included. Validated questionnaires were administered to assess self-reported fatigue, depressive symptoms and cognitive complaints. Results In total, 30 patients with chronic Q fever, 32 with QFS and 35 controls were included. A high percentage of chronic Q fever patients showed poor performance validity (38%) compared to controls (14%, p = 0.066). After exclusion of participants showing poor performance validity, no significant differences between patients and controls were found in the cognitive domains. QFS patients reported a high level of cognitive complaints compared to controls (41.2 vs 30.4, p = 0.023). Cognitive complaints were not significantly related to cognitive performance in any of the domains for this patient group. Conclusions The high level of self-reported cognitive complaints in QFS patients does not indicate cognitive impairment. A large proportion of the chronic Q fever patients showed suboptimal mental effort during neuropsychological assessment. More research into the underlying explanations is needed. Our findings stress the importance of assessing cognitive functioning by neuropsychological examination including performance validity, rather than only measuring subjective cognitive complaints. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:55:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35f1d92678124fe9937fc91c89598602 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2334 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:55:30Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-35f1d92678124fe9937fc91c895986022022-12-22T03:47:09ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342020-06-012011810.1186/s12879-020-05118-zObjective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndromeDaphne F. M. Reukers0Justine Aaronson1Joris A. F. van Loenhout2Birte Meyering3Koos van der Velden4Jeannine L. A. Hautvast5Cornelia H. M. van Jaarsveld6Roy P. C. Kessels7Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical CenterDepartment of Medical Psychology, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical CenterDepartment of Primary and Community Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical CenterDepartment of Primary and Community Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical CenterDepartment of Primary and Community Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical CenterDepartment of Primary and Community Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical CenterDepartment of Primary and Community Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical CenterDepartment of Medical Psychology, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical CenterAbstract Background Primary aim of this study was to compare cognitive performance of patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome (QFS) to matched controls from the general population, while taking performance validity into account. Second, we investigated whether objective cognitive performance was related to subjective cognitive complaints or psychological wellbeing. Methods Cognitive functioning was assessed with a neuropsychological test battery measuring the domains of processing speed, episodic memory, working memory and executive functioning. Tests for performance validity and premorbid intelligence were also included. Validated questionnaires were administered to assess self-reported fatigue, depressive symptoms and cognitive complaints. Results In total, 30 patients with chronic Q fever, 32 with QFS and 35 controls were included. A high percentage of chronic Q fever patients showed poor performance validity (38%) compared to controls (14%, p = 0.066). After exclusion of participants showing poor performance validity, no significant differences between patients and controls were found in the cognitive domains. QFS patients reported a high level of cognitive complaints compared to controls (41.2 vs 30.4, p = 0.023). Cognitive complaints were not significantly related to cognitive performance in any of the domains for this patient group. Conclusions The high level of self-reported cognitive complaints in QFS patients does not indicate cognitive impairment. A large proportion of the chronic Q fever patients showed suboptimal mental effort during neuropsychological assessment. More research into the underlying explanations is needed. Our findings stress the importance of assessing cognitive functioning by neuropsychological examination including performance validity, rather than only measuring subjective cognitive complaints.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-020-05118-zCoxiella BurnetiiPost-infectious fatigue syndromeBacterial endocarditisNeuropsychological testPerformance validityCognitive symptoms |
| spellingShingle | Daphne F. M. Reukers Justine Aaronson Joris A. F. van Loenhout Birte Meyering Koos van der Velden Jeannine L. A. Hautvast Cornelia H. M. van Jaarsveld Roy P. C. Kessels Objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome BMC Infectious Diseases Coxiella Burnetii Post-infectious fatigue syndrome Bacterial endocarditis Neuropsychological test Performance validity Cognitive symptoms |
| title | Objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome |
| title_full | Objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome |
| title_short | Objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic Q fever or Q fever fatigue syndrome |
| title_sort | objective cognitive performance and subjective complaints in patients with chronic q fever or q fever fatigue syndrome |
| topic | Coxiella Burnetii Post-infectious fatigue syndrome Bacterial endocarditis Neuropsychological test Performance validity Cognitive symptoms |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12879-020-05118-z |
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