[Quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease: Assessing with the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire [PDQ-39]]

The aim of this study was to examine the quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease [PD] using a Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire [PDQ-39] as a measure. In this cross-sectional study, 200 consecutive patients with PD who referred to Tehran University of Medical Sciences Hospitals were enrolled. The PDQ-39 was used for evaluation. Statistical tests like ANOVA, t-test and Spearman rank correlations were used to assess the relationship between duration and clinical stage of disease and the quality of life. The mean age of the patients was 57.32years [10.5 SD]. 135[67.5%] were male and 65[32.5%] female. Most of the patients [46/5%] were in mild stage. The results showed total effect of PD on patient`s quality of life, on dimensions that measured by PDQ-39. The mean of Parkinson`s disease summary index [PDSI] was 35/17 +/- 15/43.Also severity [p=0.008] and duration [p=0.0001] of disease had a significant effect on Quality of life. Quality of life deteriorated significantly with increasing disease. Paying attention to other dimensions of quality of life than clinical symptoms is suggested to improve health related quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease.