Fatigue in Parkinson's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence and Clinical Correlates.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Fatigue is a non-motor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD). The study aimed to determine the frequency and severity of fatigue, its predictors, and its impact on quality of life.

METHODS

We included 150 patients with PD. The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Parkinson Fatigue Scale-16 (PFS-16) were used to assess the presence and severity of fatigue.

RESULTS

The frequency of fatigue was 46%, predominantly of mild severity. The mean FSS score was 33.3 ± 10.3. Patients with fatigue were older, had a longer disease duration, received higher levodopa doses, and had greater motor and NMS severity. Anxiety and depression scores were higher, along with a greater frequency of excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbances. Fatigue had a negative impact on quality of life. Multivariate analysis identified disease duration, motor severity, and depression as independent predictors of fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

Fatigue is a frequent yet underrecognized NMS in PD. Nearly half of the patients experienced fatigue, mostly of mild severity, and it was associated with longer disease duration, greater disease severity, mood disturbances, sleep-related symptoms, and reduced quality of life.