Fatigue, Sleepiness, Anxiety-Depression Score, Calories and BDNF Serum Level, Quality of Life Alteration During Holy Ramadhan Month

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Ramadhan fasting increases mental and physical health. The study aims to evaluate the effect of Ramadhan fasting on fatigue, sleepiness, depression and anxiety mood, quality of life (QoL), caloriesconsumed and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum level.Methods: Twenty participants are included in the fasting group (FG), and nineteen participants are included in the non-fasting group (NFG). Fatigue severity scales (FSS), fatigue VAS, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS),hospital depression and anxiety score (HADS), Beck depression inventory (BDI)-II, Short form 12 (SF-12), and BDNF in both groups were assessed at five-time points: one week before Ramadhan (T1), in the middleof Ramadhan (T2), the last days of Ramadhan (T3), one week after Ramadhan fasting (T4) two weeks after Ramadhan (T5).Results: We found no significant differences across the time points between FG and NFG groups in all variables (p>0.05). There is a significant correlation between fatigue VAS with BDNF serum levels (r > rtable), SF-12 PCS (r>r table) with BDNF, SF-12 MCS (r>r table). There is no correlation between fatigue, depression and anxiety intensity, sleepiness, QoL, BDI-II, and BDNF serum levels with calories consumed,BDI-II, and BDNF of fasting group in Ramadhan (r < r table).Conclusions: Ramadhan fasting has positive effects on fatigue and mood. Ramadhan fasting does not have a significant effect on sleepiness, physical exercise, and calories consumed. Fatigue VAS and SF-12 PCScan replace the serum BDNF examinationKeywords: BDNF, depression, fatigue, quality of life, ramadhan fasting