Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the predictors for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Parkinson´s disease (PD) in a 5-year longitudinal study.
Background: Evaluating the quality of life of patients has become a key outcome measure in PD. Motor and non-motor symptoms negatively impact on HRQoL. Longitudinal studies are suitable for the investigation of the relationship between clinical, cognitive, and neurological symptomatology to identify the significant predictors of HRQoL in PD.
Method: A five-year longitudinal study was conducted with three assessment moments in patients with PD (n(year 1) = 51; n(year 3 ) = 45; n(year 5) = 35). HRQoL total index was assessed with the Spanish version of Parkinson´s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39). Sociodemographic (age and sex), neurocognition, PD clinical features (UPDRS-III) and neuropsychiatric (fatigue, depression, and visual hallucinations [VH]) assessment was also registered. Linear Mixed Models (LMM) analysis was executed, including these variables as explanatory variables to predict the outcome variable PDQ-39. The model was controlled by disease duration. MATLAB R2023a was used to perform the analysis.
Results: HRQoL total index increased from baseline (M = 21.71; SD = 15.22) to the fifth year (M = 25.72; SD = 16.44) of the study. LMM analysis identified fatigue (β = 0.314, p < .001) and depression (β = 2.328, p < .001) as significant predictors of HRQoL. Precisely, as fatigue severity and depression symptomatology increased over time, the HRQoL total index was higher, meaning a worse HRQoL. Sociodemographic variables, neurocognition, UPDRS-III and VH showed a non-significant association with HRQoL total index. Overall, the variables included in the model explained 30% of the variance of HRQoL total index (marginal R2 of 0.30 and conditional R2 of 0.75).
Conclusion: In conclusion, fatigue and depression were identified as the main predictors of HRQoL in PD over a five-year follow-up period. Although other motor and non-motor factors were not found to significantly predict HRQoL, they conform to a model that moderately explained its progression in five years. This study showed that a combination of different factors may explain the worsening of HRQoL in PD, independently of disease duration. Targeted interventions and the early detection of these key factors are important for effective disease management.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
O. Zabala-Gómez, O. Lucas-Jiménez, B. Tijero, I. Gabilondo, J. Peña, N. Ojeda, L. Zubiaurre-Elorza, J. Diez-Huici, M. Acera, R. Del Pino, JC. Gómez-Esteban, N. Ibarretxe-Bilbao. Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease: A Five-Year Longitudinal Study [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2025; 40 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/predictors-of-health-related-quality-of-life-in-parkinsons-disease-a-five-year-longitudinal-study/. Accessed October 5, 2025.« Back to 2025 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/predictors-of-health-related-quality-of-life-in-parkinsons-disease-a-five-year-longitudinal-study/