Work

Patient and caregiver quality of life in Huntington's disease

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: Little is known about subjective perceptions of quality of life (QOL) in Huntington's disease (HD). The current study determined correlates of patient and caregiver QOL and assessed change over time. Participants were 22 patient-caregiver dyads, who rated QOL at baseline and 6 months later. Overall, patients' functional and cognitive impairment were significantly correlated with patient and caregiver QOL. Neuropsychiatric symptoms had differential impact on patient and caregiver QOL. Furthermore, when patients recalled their QOL about a previous time, their recall may have been negatively biased. Clinical implications of results are discussed. Future work is needed because subjective QOL is an important outcome measure in therapeutic trials.

Source: Movement Disorders

DOI: 10.1002/mds.21920

Authors: Rebecca E. Ready, Melissa Mathews, Anne Leserman, Jane S. Paulsen

Institutions: University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Iowa, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

Language: English

Topic: Genetic Neurodegenerative Diseases

Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke