Predictors of Spiritual Well-Being in Family Caregivers for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative illness that causes disability through both motor and nonmotor symptoms. Family caregivers provide substantial care to persons living with PD, often at great personal cost. While spiritual well-being and spirituality have been suggested to promote resiliency in caregivers of persons living with cancer and dementia, this issue has not been explored in PD. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of spiritual well-being in PD patients' caregivers. Design: A cross-sectional analysis was performed. Our primary outcome measure, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp), was measured in caregivers alongside measures of patient quality of life, symptom burden, global function, grief, and spiritual well-being and caregiver mood, burden, and perceptions of patient quality of life. Univariate correlation and multiple regression were used to determine associations between predictor variables and caregiver FACIT-Sp. Setting/Subjects: PD patient/caregiver dyads were recruited through three academic medical centers in the United States and Canada and regional community support groups. Results: We recruited 183 dyads. Patient faith, symptom burden, health-related quality of life, depression, motor function, and grief were significant predictors of caregiver spiritual well-being. Predictive caregiver factors included caregiver depression and anxiety. These factors remained significant in combined models, suggesting that both patient and caregiver factors make independent contributions to caregiver spiritual well-being. Conclusions: The present study suggests that both patient and caregiver factors are associated with spiritual well-being in PD. Further study is needed to understand the causal relationship of these factors and whether interventions to support caregiver spiritual well-being improve outcomes for caregivers or patients. Clinicaltrials.gov registration NCT02533921.

The Effects of Exercise Duration and Intensity on Breast Cancer-Related DNA Methylation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Emerging research suggests that one mechanism through which physical activity may decrease cancer risk is through its influence on the methylation of genes associated with cancer. The purpose of the current study was to prospectively test, using a rigorous experimental design, whether aerobic exercise affects DNA methylation in genes associated with breast cancer, as well as whether quantity of exercise completed affects change in DNA methylation in a dose-response manner. 276 women (M age = 37.25, SD = 4.64) were recruited from the Denver metro area for a randomized controlled trial in which participants were assigned to a supervised aerobic exercise program varying in a fully crossed design by intensity (55-65% versus 75-85% of VO2max) and duration (40 versus 20 min per session). DNA methylation was assessed via blood samples provided at baseline, after completing a 16-week supervised exercise intervention, and six months after the intervention. 137 participants completed the intervention, and 81 had viable pre-post methylation data. Contrary to our hypotheses, total exercise volume completed in kcal/kg/week was not associated with methylation from baseline to post-intervention for any of the genes of interest. An increase in VO2max over the course of the intervention, however, was associated with decreased post-intervention methylation of BRCA1, p = 0.01. Higher levels of self-reported exercise during the follow-up period were associated with lower levels of GALNT9 methylation at the six-month follow-up. This study provides hypothesis-generating evidence that increased exercise behavior and or increased fitness might affect methylation of some genes associated with breast cancer to reduce risk.

Patient and caregiver characteristics associated with caregiver burden in Parkinson's disease: a palliative care approach.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with caregiver burden. Higher rates of burden are associated with adverse outcomes for caregivers and patients. Our aim was to understand patient and caregiver predictors of caregiver burden in PD from a palliative care approach. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from PD patients and caregivers in a randomized trial of outpatient palliative care at three study sites: University of Colorado, University of Alberta, and University of California San Francisco. The primary outcome measure of caregiver burden, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), was compared against the following patient and caregiver variables: site of care, age, disease/caretaking duration, presence of atypical parkinsonism, race, income, education level, deep brain stimulation status, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Edmonton Symptom Assessment System Revised: Parkinson Disease (ESAS) for symptom severity and burden, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for cognitive function, Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD) scale for patient and caregiver perspectives on patient general quality of life, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39) scale for health-related quality of life, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for patient and caregiver mood, Prolonged Grief Questionnaire, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy- Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SP) of patient and caregiver, and Palliative Performance Scale for functional status. A stepwise multivariate linear regression model was used to determine associations with ZBI. RESULTS: A total of 175 patients (70.9% male; average age 70.7±8.1 years; average disease duration 117.2±82.6 months), and 175 caregivers (73.1% female; average age 66.1±11.1 years) were included. Patient spiritual well-being (FACIT-SP Faith subscale, r2=0.024, P=0.0380), patient health-related quality of life (PDQ-39, r2=0.161, P<0.0001), caregiver depression (HADS Depression, r2=0.062, P=0.0014), caregiver anxiety (HADS Anxiety, r2=0.077, P=0.0002), and caregiver perspective on patient quality of life (QOL-AD Caregiver Perspective, r2=0.088, P<0.0001) were significant contributors to ZBI scores. CONCLUSIONS: Patient and caregiver factors contribute to caregiver burden in persons living with PD. These results suggest targets for future interventions to improve caregiver support.

Measuring quality of life in palliative care for Parkinson's disease: A clinimetric comparison.

INTRODUCTION: Quality of life (QOL) assessments allow for more complete evaluation of patients' lived experiences in relation to chronic conditions, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). In palliative care, such instruments are vital to ensure QOL issues are catalogued and addressed for patients. However, little is known regarding the psychometric properties of quality of life scales for use in palliative care for PD, specifically. METHODS: 210 participants with parkinsonian disorders, who participated in a larger palliative intervention clinical trial, completed four quality of life scales (PDQ-39, PROMIS-29, QOL-AD, and McGill QOL) at baseline and post-intervention. Psychometric properties, including internal consistency and concurrent validity, were examined. Factor analyses were performed to evaluate relationships between scale items. Minimal clinically important differences (MCID) and responsiveness were calculated for each scale. RESULTS: All scales demonstrated good internal consistency and concurrent validity. Factor analyses revealed few deviations from the defined subdomains of the scales. Mean absolute MCID values were estimated at 12.7, 10.9, 3.9, and 18.9 for PDQ-39, PROMIS-29, QOL-AD, and McGill QOL, respectively. The PDQ-39 and PROMIS-29 demonstrated higher responsiveness to palliative intervention, while the QOL-AD was more responsive in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The PDQ-39, PROMIS-29, QOL-AD, and McGill QOL are all valid for use in PD palliative care, though subdomains of the scales in this population may differ slightly from those initially defined. We recommend the use of PDQ-39 and PROMIS-29 as outcome measures in clinical trials for palliative care in PD, though the QOL-AD may be superior for tracking disease progression.

Body mass index, diet, and exercise: testing possible linkages to breast cancer risk via DNA methylation.

PURPOSE: To examine DNA methylation as a mechanism linking diet, physical activity, weight status, and breast cancer risk. METHODS: Insufficiently active women of varying weight status, without a history of cancer, completed a maximal exercise test, clinical measurement of height and weight, and a dietary intake measure. They also provided blood samples, which were analyzed to ascertain average methylation of candidate genes related to breast cancer (BRCA1, RUNX3, GALNT9, and PAX6) and inflammation (TLR4 and TLR6). RESULTS: Elevated weight status (r = - .18, p < .05) and poorer aerobic fitness (r = .24, p < .01) were each associated with decreased methylation of inflammation genes. Methylation of inflammation genes statistically mediated the relationship between weight status and cancer gene methylation (standardized indirect effect = .12, p < .05) as well as between cardiorespiratory fitness and cancer gene methylation (standardized indirect effect = - .172, p < .01). However, recent dietary behavior was not associated with methylation of either inflammation or cancer genes. CONCLUSIONS: Both weight status and cardiovascular fitness are associated with methylation of genes associated with both inflammation and cancer. Methylation of inflammatory genes might serve as a mechanistic link between lifestyle factors and methylation changes in genes that increase risk for breast cancer.