Background: The determinants of the quality of life (QoL) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Chinese population remain largely unknown.
Methods: A total of 649 PD patients from Southwest China participated in this cross-sectional study. Non-motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) was used to evaluate the non-motor symptoms (NMS), whereas PD Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39) was used to assess the QoL of the PD patients. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was conducted to identify the determinants of the QoL.
Results: NMS, H-Y stage, female, disease duration, UPDRS III score, single/divorced/widowed, and motor complications accounted for 66.3% of the variables in the multiple regression analysis and were the negative determinants of the QoL. Among these variables, NMS and H-Y stage accounted for 46.7% and 14.5%, respectively. NMS were closely associated with each domain of PDQ-39. Female sex especially predicted poor emotional well-being and bodily discomfort, whereas single/divorced/widowed especially predicted poor stigma and social support of PD patients. Comorbidity, motor complications and rural living predicted poor mobility, activities of daily living and emotional well-being, respectively.
Conclusion: Both demographic and disease-specific factors influence the QoL in PD patients. NMS are the strongest independent negative determinant of the overall QoL and closely associated with each domain of PDQ-39. The treatment of NMS may help to improve the QoL of PD patients.
Keywords: Determinants; Motor severity; Non-motor symptoms (NMS); PDQ-39; Parkinson disease; Quality of life (QoL).
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.