Influence of clinical and demographic variables on quality of life in
patients with Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVES:
To identify the clinical and demographic factors that are associated with a
poor quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease.
METHODS:
233 of a total of 245 patients identified in a community based study in a
Norwegian county participated in the study.
Quality of life was measured by the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).
The results were compared with those in 100 healthy elderly people.
Clinical and demographic variables were determined during a semistructured
interview and by clinical examination by a neurologist.
Multiple regression analyses were used to determine which variables were
associated with higher distress scores.
RESULTS:
Patients with Parkinson's disease had higher distress scores than the
healthy elderly people for all the NHP dimensions.
The variables that most strongly predicted a high total NHP score were
depressive symptoms, self reported insomnia, and a low degree of
independence, measured by the Schwab and England scale.
Severity of parkinsonism contributed, but to a lesser extent.
Nearly 50% of the patients with Parkinson's disease reported lack of
energy, compared with 20% of the control group.
Severity of depressive symptoms and a higher score on the UPDRS motor
subscale only partly accounted for this finding.
Only 30% of the variation in NHP energy score was explained by the
predictive variables identified in this study.
CONCLUSIONS:
Parkinson's disease has a substantial impact on health related quality of
life.
Depressive symptoms and sleep disorders correlated strongly with high
distress scores.
Patients with Parkinson's disease should be examined for both conditions,
which require treatment.
Low energy was commonly reported and may be a separate entity of
Parkinson's disease.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1999 Apr;66(4):431-5
Karlsen KH, Larsen JP, Tandberg E, Maeland JG
Department of Neurology, Central Hospital of Rogaland, Stavanger, Norway.
PMID: 10201412, UI: 99215595
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/>
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