Objective: To examine the association of exercise with health-related quality of life (HRQL) and mobility over 2 years in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Cross-sectional analyses and clinical trials have shown that exercise is associated with better HRQL and mobility in people with PD, but there are limited data on the longitudinal effect of real-world exercise in large cohorts of PD patients.

Methods: QII is a longitudinal observational study of PD patients assessed annually at NPF expert clinics. We identified a cohort of the QII patients with at least 3 visits. HRQL was measured with the Parkinson’s disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) total score. Mobility was measured by the timed up and go (TUG). Participants were categorized as exercisers (E) or non/low exercisers (N) at each time point based on exercising at least 2.5 hours/week. Longitudinal mixed effects regression models examined changes in HRQL and mobility over time, and the impact of 30 minute increments of exercise/week.

Results: At baseline, participants with 3 visits (n=3408) were younger, earlier stage, and had better (HRQL) and mobility than the total QII cohort (n=8041). After risk-adjustment, consistent exercisers and people who started exercising after their first visit had a smaller 2-year decline in HRQL and mobility than consistent non/low exercisers (p < 0.05). Reporting no exercise was associated with a 1.37 point worsening in PDQ-39 and a 0.47 second slower TUG per year. A 30 minute increment of exercise/week was associated with significantly better HRQL (-0.16 points, p<0.0001) and mobility (-0.04 seconds, p<0.0001) per year. The greatest difference in HRQL with exercise occurred in Hoehn and Yahr stage 4-5 (-0.41 vs -0.16 points; p<0.02).

Conclusions: Consistent exercise or starting to exercise after the 1st visit were associated with better HRQL and mobility at 2 years compared to low/non exercisers. Thirty minute increments were associated with small, but significant improvements in HRQL and mobility across the disease stages, with the greatest HRQL differences in people with more severe PD. These data should guide development of protocols to increase exercise opportunities and adherence in advanced PD.

A portion of this analysis is updated from data presented at the 19th International Congress of the Movement Disorders Society, San Diego, CA.

« Back to 2016 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/regular-exercise-is-associated-with-better-two-year-outcomes-in-parkinsons-disease-national-parkinson-foundation-quality-improvement-initiative-npf-qii-data/