Objective: To examine the relationship between demographic and clinical characteristics with Parkinson’s disease severity and quality of life, measured using the Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) staging and the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39).

Background: Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that significantly affects patients’ quality of life. Several factors, including age, disease duration, and comorbidities, are believed to contribute to disease severity. Understanding these associations may help improve disease management and intervention strategies.

Method: This cross-sectional study involved 43 Parkinson’s patients. Data collected included demographic factors (age, education, occupation), clinical characteristics (disease duration, comorbidities, therapy), and disease severity based on H&Y staging. Spearman’s correlation test was used to assess the relationship between these variables and disease severity.

Results: A significant correlation was found between age and Parkinson’s disease severity (r = 0.402, p = 0.008) and disease duration and Parkinson’s severity (r = 0.478, p = 0.002).Education and occupation were not significantly associated with disease severity(p > 0.05). Patients with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and dementia had lower quality of life (p = 0.012), whereas those who regularly underwent physiotherapy showed better quality of life (p = 0.021).

Conclusion: Age and disease duration are significantly associated with Parkinson’s disease severity. Comorbidities negatively affect quality of life, while physiotherapy contributes to improvement. Early detection and appropriate therapeutic interventions are crucial for managing disease progression and enhancing patients’ quality of life.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-relationship-between-demographic-and-clinical-characteristics-with-disease-severity-and-quality-of-life-in-parkinsons-patients/