Objective: To analyze caregiver burden in PD patients in respect to patient`s quality of life, disease stage and treatment option.

Background: Parkinson`s disease (PD) is neurodegenerative disease causing loss of patient`s independence, need for continuos care and burden of caregiver.

Method: Patients treated on in- and out-patient clinic were included. They were divided into the three groups: early stage (ES), advanced stage on peroral drugs treatment (AS-PO) and advanced stage treated with pump (AS-P). Demographic data were collected. All the patients were survey for quality of life (QoL) using Parkinson`s disease Questionairre 8 (PDQ-8), while all caregivers were survey for burden using Zarit burden interview 22 (ZBI 22).

Results: We have analyzed 51 PD patients and 51 caregivers. There was difference in QoL between ES and AS-PO (p<0.007) and ES and AS-P (p<0.002). Disease duration and duration of care correlate positively with patients QoL and caregiver burden and with relationship caregiver-patient. Patient`s QoL correlate positively with caregiver health, psyhcological well-being, social life and relationship caregiver-patient. There was no difference in caregiver burden according to patient`s neither caregiver age or correlation between burden with patients group (ES, AS-PO and AS-P).

Conclusion: Disease duration and duration of care influence negatively on patient`s QoL, caregiver burden and relationship caregiver-patient. Disease stage nor treatment option do not increased caregiver burden, while advance disease stage (AS-PO and AS-P) influence negatively on patients QoL. Lower patient`s QoL influence negatively on most aspects of caregiver life including health, psychological well-being, social life and relationship caregiver-patient.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/caregiver-burden-in-patients-with-parkinson-disease/