This study evaluated the impact of motor impairment (MI) on exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). One hundred ninety-two patients (≥50 years old) were divided according to the Hoehn and Yahr stages in: mild (stage I), mild to moderate (stage II), moderate (stage III), and advanced MI (stage IV). Exercise capacity (6-min walk test [6MWT]) and quality of life (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire [PDQ-39]) were obtained. In this context, 6MWT was progressively worse with increasing the severity of MI (P<0.01). Patients with advanced MI achieved 39% of predicted 6MWT of healthy subject, while subjects with mild MI achieved 83% of healthy subject (P<0.01). In addition, patients with advanced MI presented higher (i.e., worse) PDQ-39 scores in summary index, cognition, mobility and activities of daily live domains compared to other groups (P<0.01). Patients with moderate MI also presented worse scores in PDQ-39 summary index, mobility and activities of daily live domains in comparison with mild MI patients (P<0.01). Higher MI was correlated with worse exercise capacity (6MWT: r=-0.46, P<0.01), with worse PDQ-39 summary index and the mobility and activities of daily live domains scores (r=0.38, r=0.46, and r=0.43, P<0.01). In conclusion, MI is related to lower exercise capacity and quality of life (i.e., PDQ-39 summary index and mobility and activities of daily live domains) in patients with PD.
Keywords: Functional capacity; Motor impairment; Parkinsonism; Quality of life.
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