Relationships between Inflammatory Biomarkers and Fatigue among Patients with Moderate and Severe COVID-19

Background. Patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 infection suffer from varying levels of fatigue; however, there is a lack of understanding regarding the effect of inflammation on fatigue; and whether these relationships differ according to the severity of the infection. Aim. To assess the relationships between selected inflammatory biomarkers and fatigue levels among hospitalized Jordanian patients with moderate or severe COVID-19 infection. Methods. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used. A total of 352 participants were recruited for the study. Data regarding fatigue type and level were collected using the Chalder fatigue scale. Laboratory test results regarding several selected inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., ESR, CRP, IL-6, D-dimer, and others) were collected from patient records. The severity of the COVID-19 infection was determined using the criteria of the Ministry of Health in Jordan based on the results of O2% (oxygen saturation). Results. The mean scores of the total fatigue level significantly differed between the two levels of the severity of COVID-19 infection (moderate and severe levels) (t = −3.0, p