February 2012
Benito-León J, Cubo E, Coronell C; on behalf of
the ANIMO Study Group
The impact of apathy on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in
recently diagnosed Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been systematically
investigated. The objective of this cross-sectional survey (ANIMO study)
was to examine the contribution of apathy to HRQOL in a Spanish sample
of recently diagnosed PD patients.
PD patients, diagnosed within 2 years
of inclusion, were recruited at 102 outpatient clinics in 82
communities throughout Spain. Apathy was quantified using the Lille
Apathy Rating Scale and HRQOL with the EuroQol-5D questionnaire. A mean
EuroQol-5D index score of 0.89 obtained from population references in
Spain was used as the cutoff for this study. The relationship between
apathy and the dichotomized EuroQol-5D index score (<0.89 [lower
HRQOL] vs ≥0.89 [reference]) was examined using multiple logistic
regression analysis, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical
variables.
We consecutively recruited 557 patients (60.3% men) with a
mean age of 68.8 ± 9.7 years. Apathy was diagnosed in 291 (52.2%) and
was related to problems in each of the EuroQoL dimensions. Apathetic PD
patients showed EuroQol-5D index scores significantly lower than those
without apathy (0.64 vs 0.83). In an adjusted model, apathetic PD
patients were 2.49 times more likely to have lower HRQOL than
nonapathetic patients (odds ratio, 2.49; 95% confidence interval,
1.49–4.15, P < 0.01).
Apathy is very common in those with
recently diagnosed PD and is one of the major clinical determinants of
HRQOL in this disease. It should be one of the primary concerns among
clinicians who provide treatment to individuals affected by PD.
