Jiin‑Ling Jianga, Shin‑Yuan Chenb,c, Sheng‑Tzung Tsaib,c*
aDepartment of Nursing, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, bDepartment of Neurosurgery, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan, cSchool of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
Open Access funded by Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in health‑related quality of life (HRQoL) and motor and depressive symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) from baseline to 12 months following subthalamic nucleus deep brain
stimulation (STN‑DBS). Materials and Methods: The study utilized a prospective observational cohort design. Thirty‑three PD patients with a good levodopa response but drug‑related morbidity were included. PD Questionnaire‑39 (PDQ‑39) scores, unified PD rating scale (UPDRS) scores, Hoehn and Yahr stages, Beck Depression Inventory‑II scores, and levodopa equivalent daily doses (LEDD) were obtained at baseline and 1 year after surgery. Results: The enrolled patients showed a significant HRQoL improvement of 21.43% at 12 months after STN‑DBS as assessed by the PDQ‑39 total score. There was a 34.92% improvement in UPDRS scores after STN‑DBS at 1 year follow‑up. Subitem analysis revealed significant improvement in UPDRS part II, III, and IV scores. The LEDD
was significantly reduced by up to 27.36% 12 months after surgery. The preoperative PDQ‑39 total score and LEDD predicted postoperative HRQoL in PD following STN‑DBS. Conclusions: The current study demonstrated that STN‑DBS surgery significantly improved HRQoL and motor outcomes of patients with PD. The preoperative PDQ‑39 score and LEDD were predictors of the efficacy of postoperative HRQoL following surgery.
Keywords: Deep brain stimulation, Parkinson’s disease, Quality of life, Subthalamic nucleus
