Factors affecting the quality of life of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease--a cross-sectional study in an outpatient clinic attendees.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the factors associated with poor quality of life (QoL) in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) in a clinic-based sample.


METHODS
One hundred patients were included in this study. To assess the quality of life the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) was used. A structured questionnaire interview and a complete neurological examination, including the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H-Y), the Schwab and England disability scale, II, III, IV parts of the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS part II, III, IV), Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) and the Mini-Mental state examination (MMSE) were performed.


CONCLUSIONS
The most important predictive factor was MADRS score, followed by clinical fluctuations as measured by UPDRS part IVB and the H-Y stage of disease, which account for 79% of the variance of QoL scores. Therefore, recognition of depression should become an important part of treatment of PD.
Sławek
Jarosław
J
Neurosurgery Department, Division of Functional Neurosurgery and Movement Disorders, Medical University of Gdańsk, Debinki 7 Str., Gdańsk, Poland. jarslawek@poczta.onet.pl
Derejko
Mirosława
M
Lass
Piotr
P
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life