Selasa, 03 Juli 2012

Decline in quality of life of Parkinson's sufferers starts 'years before diagnosis'

Decline in quality of life of Parkinson's sufferers starts 'years before diagnosis'

  • Scientists observe decline in physical function in Parkinson’s patients three years prior to diagnosis in men and 7.5 years prior to diagnosis in women

By Graham Smith

PUBLISHED: 07:35 EST, 3 July 2012 | UPDATED: 07:35 EST, 3 July 2012

People with Parkinson’s disease suffer a decline in their quality of life years before they are diagnosed, it is claimed.

Scientists have documented declines in physical and mental health, pain, and emotional health beginning several years before the onset of the disease.

And the decline then continues at a rate of five to seven times faster than the average yearly decline caused by normal ageing in people without the disease, according to researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Parkinson's sufferer Muhammad Ali. A study has revealed that a decline in quality of life starts years before the disease is diagnosed

Parkinson's sufferer Muhammad Ali. A study has revealed that a decline in quality of life starts years before the disease is diagnosed

Lead researcher Dr Natalia Palacios said: 'We observed a decline in physical function in Parkinson’s patients relative to their healthy counterparts beginning three years prior to diagnosis in men and 7.5 years prior to diagnosis in women.

'The decline continues at a rate that is five to seven times faster than the average yearly decline caused by normal ageing in individuals without the disease.

'This result provides support to the notion that the pathological process leading to Parkinson’s disease may start several years before a diagnosis.'

The study is the first to examine patterns in the quality of life of Parkinson's patients prior to diagnosis and is published in the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.

The researchers studied 51,350 male health professionals enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow Up Study (HPFS) and 121,701 female registered nurses enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS).

In both studies, participants filled out biannual questionnaires that documented the occurrence of major chronic disease by answering questions about a variety of lifestyle characteristics.

The nurses study measured health-related quality of life in physical functioning; role limitations due to physical problems; role limitations due to emotional problems; vitality; bodily pain; social functioning; mental health; and general health perceptions.

By contrast, the HPFS questionnaire only assessed physical functioning.

Of the 454 men and 414 women identified with Parkinson’s, the researchers found that a decline began about three years before diagnosis for men and 7.5 years for women.

Results also showed other measures of quality of life - available only in women - declined in a similar pattern.

The scientists point out that their study is bolstered by the available data on both Parkinson’s patients and a healthy group used for com parison.

Dr Palacios said: 'Our hope is that, with future research, biological markers of the disease process may be recognizable in this pre-clinical phase.'

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