Session Information
Date: Sunday, October 7, 2018
Session Title: Quality Of Life/Caregiver Burden in Movement Disorders
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Hall 3FG
Objective: The aim of the study was to examine changes in the body concept in relation to quality of life and severity of dystonia.
Background: Patients with dystonia experience unusual postures and disfigurement. Few reports are available about the patients’ self perception of the body and its association with quality of life.
Methods: Our cohort consisted of twenty therapy resistant patients with idiopathic dystonia (10 males aged 51.2±17.2 and 10 females aged 55.5±21.3 years, mean±SD), who were planned for Gpi-DBS. The patients were assessed with Frankfurt body concept scale, SF 36 health survey, as well as Hamilton depression scale, Beck depression inventory, social phobia scale and social interaction anxiety scale. The results were compared to 25 sex and age matched healthy controls (13 males aged 53.7±19.3 and 12 females aged 51.4±13.2). The disease severity was staged with Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFM) and Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS).
Results: Our results show that the patients with dystonia had significantly reduced body concept in eight out of nine subscales in comparison to healthy controls, mostly pronounced for body concept towards health, ability to taking care about the body, bodily efficiency, sexuality and aspects of outer appearance (p<0.001). Furthermore, the quality of life was significantly reduced in all eight SF36 subscales. We have found significant positive correlations between SF36 and body concept subscales. Body concept and quality of life were not correlated with motor scores. Our patients suffered from mood instability and anxiety symptoms except social interaction anxiety. Depression was significantly correlated to the motor scores and to social phobia.
Conclusions: We conclude that patients with dystonia have psychosomatic and affective components which interfere with quality of life in both physical and emotional domains. Future studies should focus on assessing these symptoms after adequate therapeutical management of motor symptoms.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
L. Paracka, F. Wegner, C. Escher, M. Klietz, M. Abdallat, J. Krauss. Body concept and quality of life in patients with idiopathic dystonia [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2018; 33 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/body-concept-and-quality-of-life-in-patients-with-idiopathic-dystonia/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2018 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/body-concept-and-quality-of-life-in-patients-with-idiopathic-dystonia/