Impact of Pharmacotherapy on Quality of Life in Pa

Authors: Pablo MartinezMartin Carmen RodriguezBlazquez Maria João Forjaz Monica M Kurtis

Publish Date: 2015/05/13

Volume: 29, Issue: 5, Pages: 397-413

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Abstract

Quality of life QoL is a patientreported outcome frequently included in Parkinson’s disease PD clinical trials as a secondary or tertiary endpoint However QoL is an important variable that reflects the impact of disease and treatment from the patients’ perspective In a chronic neurodegenerative disease such as PD with a wide range of complex symptoms QoL provides valuable and comprehensive information on the patients’ health status This narrative review aims to evaluate the effect of specific PD treatments currently in use on patients’ QoL measured with the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39item PDQ39 or 8item PDQ8 version A quantification of this effect is provided by calculation of the relative change and effect size These two parameters allow an intuitive standardized approach to the importance of change based on its magnitude Some highquality studies Level I were found for levodopa immediate or extendedrelease formulations levodopa with addedon catecholOmethyltransferase COMT inhibitors levodopa/carbidopa gel for intestinal infusion some dopamine agonists ropinirole cabergoline pergolide and the monoamine oxidase B MAOB inhibitor safinamide As a whole these studies found a beneficial effect of variable magnitude weak to moderate on patients’ QoL Studies with a lower level of evidence or not providing enough data to estimate relative change and effect size including those for the apomorphine subcutaneous pump also reported improvement of QoL but the evidence was insufficient to confirm the effect More highquality studies focused on QoL are needed to determine the real impact of PD drug treatments for this important outcomeThe authors report no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript Pablo MartinezMartin has received honoraria from AbbVie for participating in an epidemiological study and from TEVA Lundbeck Britannia Italfarmaco and Abbott/AbbVie for lectures or participation in symposia Carmen RodriguezBlazquez has nothing to disclose Maria João Forjaz has nothing to disclose Monica M Kurtis has received honoraria from UCB for participating in an International Advisory Board

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