The Effect of Nutritional Support Based on the Dietary Anti-Inflammatory Index on Cancer-Related Fatigue in Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Background Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common symptoms reported by cancer patients and is considered to be related to inflammation. Objective This study aimed to explore the effects of nutritional support based on the dietary anti-inflammatory index on cancer-related fatigue in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods This was a randomized controlled trial with 106 lung cancer patients who were divided into either the anti-inflammatory diet group (n = 53) or the usual diet group (n = 53) for 3 months. The primary outcome was cancer-related fatigue. Secondary outcomes included high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations, nutritional status, and quality of life. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effectiveness of this intervention. Results The anti-inflammatory diet improved fatigue (−1.99 ± 1.78, P < .001), hs-CRP levels (−4.15 [−11.87, −0.58], P < .001), Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (−2.53 ± 3.11, P = .030), and albumin concentrations (2.83 ± 0.59, P < .001) compared with the usual diet after 3 months. Simultaneously, in the repeated-measures analysis of variance, the differences in fatigue ( F = 5.536, P < .001), hs-CRP levels ( F = 6.918, P < .001), and albumin concentrations ( F = 2.727, P = .048) were statistically significant for the group-by-time interaction. Conclusion The study provided evidence for the positive effect of nutritional support based on the dietary anti-inflammatory index on cancer-related fatigue, hs-CRP levels, nutritional status, and quality of life in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Implication for Practice With an anti-inflammatory diet, nurses can help these patients improve their overall quality of life.