Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a range of classic motor symptoms and heterogeneous nonmotor symptoms that affect patients' quality of life (QoL). Studies have individually reported the effect of either motor or nonmotor symptoms on patients' QoL; however, a thorough assessment of the symptoms that have the greatest influence on QoL is limited. This JAQPAD study examined the effect of both motor and nonmotor symptoms and patient demographics on QoL in a large population of patients with PD in Japan. Methods: All members of the Japan Parkinson's Disease Association were invited to participate in the study. Questionnaires assessing wearing-off symptoms (the 9-item Wearing-Off Questionnaire [WOQ-9]), nonmotor symptoms (Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire [NMSQ]) and QoL (the 8-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire [PDQ-8]) were included. Multiple regression analyses assessed the effect of clinical factors on the PDQ-8 Summary Index (PDQ-8 SI). Spearman rank correlation coefficient (r) estimated the correlation between each subdomain score of nine NMSQ domains and the PDQ-8 SI. Results: A total of 3022 patients were included in the analysis. The PDQ-8 SI score correlated with off-time, age, duration of PD, work status, and the NMSQ total score and subdomain scores. Memory problems correlated most strongly with the PDQ-8 SI score (r = 0.4419), followed by mood (r = 0.4387) and digestive problems (r = 0.4341; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Physicians tend to focus on motor symptoms, while nonmotor symptoms often go under-recognized in clinical practice. This JAQPAD study highlights the importance of recognition and management of both motor and nonmotor symptoms, which together significantly affect patient QoL.

Background. Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) receiving levodopa treatment often report motor complications including wearing-off (WO), dyskinesia, and morning akinesia. As motor complications are associated with a decrease in patients’ quality of life (QoL), it is important to identify their occurrence and commence immediate management. This study investigated whether differences in the perception of motor complications exist between patients and their physicians in routine clinical practice. Methods. After an Internet-based screening survey, questionnaires were distributed to physicians and their patients in Japan. The 9-item Wearing-Off Questionnaire (WOQ-9) was used to objectively assess the presence of WO; patients with WOQ-9 scores ≥2 were considered to have WO. McNemar’s test was used to compare physician assessment versus WOQ-9 scores, patient self-awareness versus physician assessment, and patient self-awareness versus WOQ-9, separately. Morning akinesia and dyskinesia were assessed by both physician assessment and patient self-awareness with McNemar’s test. QoL was assessed using the 8-item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8) with the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results. A total of 235 patients with PD and their 92 physicians participated in this survey. A significant discordance was observed between the WOQ-9 and physician assessment of WO (67.2% vs 46.0%; p < 0.0001 ). Furthermore, patient self-awareness of WO was 35.3% ( p = 0.0004 , vs physician). Morning akinesia (patient, 58.7%; physician, 48.9%; p = 0.0032 ), dyskinesia (patient, 34.0%; physician, 23.4%; p = 0.0006 ), and bodily discomfort (patient, 25.0; physician, 0.0; p = 0.0102 ) of QoL were underrecognized by physicians. Conclusions. This study investigated differences in the perception of WO between patients with PD and their physicians in routine clinical practice and highlighted that patients have a low awareness of the symptoms of WO compared with physician assessments and WOQ-9. Conversely, morning akinesia, dyskinesia, and bodily discomfort were underrecognized by physicians.

BackgroundSimeprevir with peginterferon and ribavirin has been used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis caused by genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV). We explored the predictive factors for sustained virological response (SVR) and viral relapse using datasets from four Japanese phase 3 studies (CONCERTO).MethodsWe used a multiple logistic regression model. First, an integrated dataset comprising 357 patients was analyzed. Subsequently, prior treatment-naïve and relapser (223 patients) and nonresponder (134 patients) of interferon-based treatment subsets were analyzed to identify predictors of SVR. A subset of nonresponders (106 patients) who were treated ≥24 weeks was also analyzed to identify predictors for viral relapse.ResultsIn the integrated dataset, prior treatment response was significantly associated with SVR. In subset analyses, interleukin-28B (IL28B) TT genotype and undetectable plasma HCV RNA level at week 4 were associated in treatment-naïve patients and relapsers [odds ratio (OR); 4.106 and 3.701, respectively]. In the nonresponders, the IL28B TT genotype population was very small, and inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) and undetectable plasma HCV RNA at week 4 were associated (OR; 2.506 and 3.333, respectively). Furthermore, ribavirin dose intensity (RBV-DI) and detectable plasma HCV RNA at week 4 were significantly associated with viral relapse (OR; 0.327 and 2.922, respectively).ConclusionIL28B and plasma HCV RNA level at week 4 were clinically relevant predictive factors for SVR in treatment-naïve patients and relapsers. Moreover, RBV-DI and plasma HCV level at week 4 were identified as relevant predictive factors for viral relapse in nonresponders.

Introduction. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by a triad of motor symptoms and several nonmotor symptoms (NMS). Identifying the most appropriate treatment is essential for improving patient quality of life (QoL). However, it is still not known which PD symptoms more commonly affect patients with advanced PD (APD) versus non-APD. This study examined the factors that most affected the QoL of patients with APD (defined using the 5-2-1 criteria: ≥5 oral levodopa doses a day, off time ≥2 hours a day, or troublesome dyskinesia ≥1 hour a day) versus non-APD in a large Japanese population using the Japanese Quality-of-Life Survey of Parkinson’s Disease (JAQPAD) study. Methods. Participants in this self-reported survey-based study included all members of the Japan Parkinson’s Disease Association. Questionnaires assessing NMS and QoL (e.g., the 8-item PD Questionnaire [PDQ-8]) were included. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify clinical factors impacting QoL using the PDQ-8 Summary Index (PDQ-8 SI). Results. Of the 3022 eligible patients, 864 were classified as having non-APD and 1599 as having APD. QoL as assessed by the PDQ-8 SI was notably worse in patients with APD versus non-APD (39.2 vs. 26.9, p < 0.0001 ). Although off time affected QoL only in patients with APD, PD duration and the NMS Questionnaire score significantly contributed to the QoL in both patients with APD and non-APD. Conclusions. This study identified the factors more commonly associated with worse QoL in patients with APD versus non-APD. Our findings offer new insights for providing optimal treatment and improving treatment satisfaction in patients with PD.

Background Parkinson's disease (PD) adversely affects the quality of life (QoL) of not only patients but also their caregivers. Objective To determine the factors that most impact the QoL of family caregivers of patients with PD in a large Japanese population using data from the Japanese Quality‐of‐Life Survey of Parkinson's Disease (JAQPAD) study. Methods Questionnaires, including the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire‐Carer (PDQ‐Carer), were distributed to patients and their caregivers. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed with the PDQ‐Carer Summary Index (SI) score as the dependent variable to determine the factors that impact caregiver QoL. Results Overall, 1,346 caregivers were included in the analysis. Female sex, unemployment, caring for a patient with a high‐level need for nursing care, and a high Nonmotor Symptoms Questionnaire score were factors with a significant negative impact on caregiver QoL. Conclusion Results from this study identified several factors that affect caregiver QoL in Japan.