Background: The levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) therapy can improve the severe fluctuations associated with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Our aim was to assess the improvement in the health related quality of life of PD patients treated with LCIG at University of Pécs.
Methods: Eight PD patients were evaluated (age: 68.1 ± 4.4 years, disease duration: 14.5 ± 6.2 years, duration of fluctuations: 8.9 ± 3.1 years). Before the initiation of LCIG treatment and 6 and 12 months later, the health-relat- ed quality of life (PDQ-39 and EQ-5D-5L), severity of PD- related symptoms (MDS-UPDRS, Hoehn-Yahr Scale, Clinical Global Improvement--Severity) and major non-motor symptoms (PD Sleep Scale 2nd version: PDSS-2, Epworth Scale and Beck Depression Inventory: BDI) were assessed.
Results: Health-related quality life improved after LCIG treatment measured by both EQ-5D-5L (from 0.257 to 0.662, p = 0.009) and PDQ-39 (from 34 to 26 points, p = 0.038). Meanwhile PD-related symptoms (MDS-UPDRS total score: from 105 points to 68 points, p < 0.05) sleep quality (PDSS-2: from 25 to 22 points, p < 0.05), daytime sleepiness (Epworth: from 12 to 7 points, p < 0.05) and depression (BDI: from 20 to 15 points, p < 0.05) also improved. Median ON time improved form 4.5 hours to 10.0 hours; whereas, the OFF time decreased from 4.5 to 0.5 hours (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Both the quality of life and the clinical fea- tures of PD can be improved by LCIG treatment in advanced PD.