Objective: To understand which factors associated with the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD) influence quality of life (QoL) in a cohort from the European multicentre Healthy Brain Ageing (HeBA) Study.

Background: PD patients experience a reduced QoL, however, less is known about QoL in at-risk and prodromal populations.

Method: Data were obtained from the initial online survey of the HeBA Study from the Innsbruck and Luxembourg sites. Participants provided demographic information, including sex, age, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and reported on key subjective prodromal symptoms (hyposmia, dream enactment behaviour (DEB), and subjective memory impairment). They also completed the Non-Motor Symptom Questionnaire (NMSQ), the Movement Disorder Society Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Ib and II, and the Penn Daily Activity Questionnaire for PD (PDAQ). Olfaction was remotely assessed with the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test. MDS probability scores for prodromal PD were calculated. Finally, participants completed the European QoL Questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) and self-rated their overall QoL on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). As two dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L relate to depression/anxiety and pain, items on these constructs were removed from the NMSQ, MDS-UPDRS-Ib and MDS probabilities for statistical analyses.

Results: A total of 3,207 participants (mean age 61.0±7.6years; 57.3%women) were included. The mean NMSQ score was 4.9 (±3.7), and the mean MDS-UPDRS-Ib and II scores were 3.9 (±2.9) and 0.9 (±1.8), respectively. The mean QoL index was 0.91 (±0.13), while the VAS score was 81.5 (±14.0). Lower QoL was predicted by older age, lower education, and higher CCI (all p<0.05). Additionally, lower QoL was predicted by higher NMSQ scores (B=-0.02; p<0.001), higher MDS-UPDRS scores (part Ib: B=-0.02; part II: B=-0.03; both p<0.001), and lower PDAQ scores (B=0.01; p<0.001; all adjusted for sex, age, education, and CCI). Finally, lower QoL was predicted by higher MDS risk scores (B=-0.003; p<0.001) and higher frequency of reported subjective symptoms (hyposmia: B=-0.02; DEB: B=-0.03; memory impairment: B=-0.06; all p<0.001).

Conclusion: Participants at higher risk of PD show lower QoL. Prospective follow-up will help clarify whether QoL is indeed compromised in the prodromal stages of PD.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/association-of-quality-of-life-with-risk-markers-and-prodromal-signs-of-parkinsons-disease-in-the-population-based-healthy-brain-ageing-study/