title: Caregiver burden in patients with Parkinson disease undergoing deep brain stimulation: an exploratory analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about caregiver burden in Parkinson disease (PD) patients undergoing brain stimulation (DBS) surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this exploratory analysis was to evaluate whether caregiver burden improves after bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS for PD patients and identify baseline factors associated with caregiver burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the motor, cognitive and behavioral data of 12 PD patients (9 men/3 women) who underwent bilateral STN DBS and whose caregivers completed the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) both before and approximately 6 months after bilateral STN DBS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total CBI score did not change from baseline (17.8 ± 10.7) to the 6 month evaluation (18.7 ± 13.1), despite a 29% improvement in the MDS-UPDRS motor score (baseline 40.3 ± 12.1 compared to 28.7 ± 8.4 at 6 months, p = 0.01). Change in total CBI score did not correlate with change in MDS-UPDRS Parts I-IV or MoCA from baseline to 6 months. In post-hoc analyses looking at baseline characteristics that may correlate with caregiver burden, only the disinhibition subscore on the Frontal Systems Behavioral Scale correlated positively with the baseline total CBI score (ρ = 0.763, p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caregiver burden for PD patients (as measured by the CBI) does not change 6 months after bilateral STN DBS, despite significant improvement in motor function. Only baseline behavioral problems, specifically disinhibition, correlated with higher baseline caregiver burden. Clinicians may need to better counsel patients on expectations for caregiver burden after DBS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Soileau
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuropsychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Surgical Therapies Improving Movement Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Persad
authors.affiliation: Surgical Therapies Improving Movement Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Surgical Therapies Improving Movement Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Parag G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Surgical Therapies Improving Movement Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Kelvin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Parkinson disease; caregiver burden; deep brain stimulation; subthalamic nucleus