Observational study of quality of life of Parkinson's patients and their caregivers

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder that leads to a decrease in cognitive performance and affects patients' quality of life (QoL). The purpose of this study was to investigate the QoL of PD patients and their caregivers in relation to each patient's cognitive impairment.

Methods: A total of 60 subjects with idiopathic PD were recruited; all had a primary caregiver. Patients' cognitive abilities were evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Activities of Daily Living Scale, and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. The 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey were used to assess the QoL of patients and caregivers, respectively.

Results: The Mini-Mental State Examination was a significant predictor of most of the QoL subscales, including mobility, stigma, social support, cognition, and physical discomfort. The Activities of Daily Living Scale and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale were significant predictors of mobility, activities of daily living, and cognition. Patients' clinical conditions also significantly affected all of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey subscales; predicted physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality, and social role functioning on the Activities of Daily Living Scale; and predicted physical functioning, physical role functioning, and emotional role functioning on the Mini-Mental State Examination.

Conclusions: Our results confirm a relationship between PD patients QoL and the perceived burden of their caregivers. Indeed, patients' cognitive impairment strictly correlated to lower QoL scores in both patients and caregivers and is a strong predictor of caregiver stress and burden. These results emphasize the importance of implementing early interventions to prevent or ameliorate caregivers' burnout.