Morbidity Milestones Demonstrate Long Disability-Free Survival in Parkinson's Disease Patients with Deep Brain Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Background: Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). The long-term benefit in PD patients with STN-DBS in comparison to medical treatment (MT) alone has not yet been demonstrated conclusively. Objectives: To judge the long-term outcome of patients with STN-DBS. Methods: To assess the evolution of PD symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 115 patients with STN-DBS with rater-based scales and self-reported questionnaires. In addition, we screened records of all our STN-DBS patients (2001–2019, n = 162 patients) for the onset of the morbidity milestones (falls, hallucinations, dementia, and nursing home placement) to assess disability-free life expectancy. Results: In the first year of STN-DBS, levodopa equivalent dose was reduced and motor function improved. Nonmotor symptoms and cognition remained stable. These effects were similar to previous studies. Morbidity milestones occurred 13 ± 7 years after diagnosis. Motor function, cognition, and HRQoL significantly worsened after the occurrence of any milestone, confirming the clinical relevance of these milestones. After onset of the first milestone, mean survival time was limited to 5 ± 0.8 years, which is comparable with patients with PD but without STN-DBS. Conclusions: On average, PD patients with STN-DBS live with their disease for a longer time, and morbidity milestones occur later in the disease course than in PD patients with MT. As judged by morbidity milestones, morbidity remains compressed into the final 5 years of life in PD patients with STN-DBS.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)569-578
Number of pages10
JournalMovement disorders clinical practice
Volume10
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-6603-5375/work/148606647
ORCID /0000-0002-2387-526X/work/150328933

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • deep brain stimulation, long-term outcome, milestones, morbidity., Parkinson's disease