Quality of Life of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease (P18-076-19)

Abstract

ObjectivesPatients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often suffer from a low quality of life due to both the motor and non-motor symptoms of the condition. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different aspects on quality of life in Parkinson’s disease patients. The study hypothesized that PD patients are more likely to experience lower quality of life in areas related to non-motor symptoms. In addition, the study hypothesized that PD patients with healthy special diet seem to experience a higher overall quality of life. MethodsData came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2011 and 2014, and the study included patients with PD aged 55 years and older. Multivariate regression analyses were used to investigate the quality of life among these patients and the association between special diet status and over quality of life. ResultsResults of the study found that PD patients were likely to have lower quality of life from the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). They seem to have sleep disorders and mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Patients with PD were also likely to have greater risk of developing hyposmia with their reduced sense of smell. However, there was a positive association between engagement in healthy special diet and the overall quality of life. PD patients either with high-fiber diet or high-protein diet were likely to have higher overall quality of life. ConclusionsNon-motor symptoms of PD inhibit different aspects of quality of life, so the clinical management of these symptoms should become a critical target for the treatment of the disease. Therefore, healthcare providers should focus additional efforts towards relieving some of the non-motor symptoms in addition to treating the motor symptoms. Funding SourcesN/A.