Isolation Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic in People Suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and Activity, Self-Assessment of Physical Fitness and the Level of Affective Disorders

Abstract

Background: Staying at home for long periods and limiting various types of activities and social contacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have negative consequences for health. This is especially true for people suffering from chronic diseases, in whom an appropriate level of activity and social contacts delay the progress of the disease. This group includes people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease—PD. Aim: It was decided to investigate the effect of COVID-19 isolation related to self-assessment of physical fitness, physical activity, and the level of anxiety and depression in people with PD. Methods: The study included 30 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. We compared the results of the pre-pandemic questionnaire and the telephone interview with the same questions—after the period of isolation due to COVID-19. The questionnaire included questions about physical activity and fitness self-assessment. The level of affective disorders was tested using HADS. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in the physical activity of the respondents after isolation related to COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Self-assessment of physical fitness also decreased, but the differences were not statistically significant. In the post-isolation study, only 50% of the respondents had normative values for anxiety and only 40% for depression. The analysis showed that the level of physical activity—the independent variable, explains anxiety in 30% and depression in 27%. Conclusions: Pandemic isolation has significantly reduced physical activity in PD patients. There was a certain drop in the self-esteem of physical fitness in these people. Physical fitness is an important predictor of preventing the affective disorders of anxiety and depression. The effects of isolation due to COVID-19 require further research.

Changes in non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease following COVID-19 pandemic restrictions: A systematic review

“…Only two patients reported a reduction of anxiety levels. Knapik et al (2021) evaluated a group of Polish patients (H&Y stage I-III, not subjected to DBS) after about 3 months of social restriction: half of them exhibited no anxiety levels to HADS-A. Among the remaining patients, 30% had a borderline score and 20% showed anxiety which, according to the study, was only partially explained by patients' self-assessment of their physical fitness, but not by the actual physical activity they engaged in.…”

“…A study by Knapik et al (2021) assessed depression levels in 30 PD patients (H&Y stage I-III, none of whom had previously received DBS treatment) 90 days after the onset of social isolation in Poland. From the administration of the HADS by telephone interview, they observed that 40% of patients did not report depression, that 33.33% of them had a borderline HADS-D score for the presence of that disorder, while the remaining 26.67% had clinical depression.…”

The relationship between walking ability, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly people after controlling demographic, health status, and lifestyle variables

“…In addition, this study shows that the risk of depressive symptoms of middle-aged and elderly people with high level of PA is significantly lower than that of middle-aged and elderly people with low level of PA. The walking ability and self-rated health status of middle-aged and elderly people with high level of PA are also better than those with low level of PA. Knapik A et al [37] studied the effect of COVID-19 isolation on the self-evaluation of physical fitness, PA, anxiety, and depression in patients with Parkinson disease. The results showed that the isolation of COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the PA of patients with Parkinson disease.…”

Vulnerability of Parkinson’s Patients to COVID-19 and Its Consequences and Effects on Them: A Systematic Review

“…By reducing physical activity, the time spent watching TV and using a mobile phone increase in patients with Parkinson's disease [ 68 , 69 ]. Social distancing, loneliness, the inability to perform physical, recreational, family, and group activities, the elimination of therapeutic activities, changes in daily routine, and not continuing physiotherapy sessions or other training-motor training activities lead to physical problems, stress, depression, frustration, anxiety, decreased cognitive functions (attention, concentration, and memory), dissatisfaction with life, and even suicidal thoughts [ 5 , 40 ].…”