Constipation Severity and Quality of Life in People With Parkinson’s Disease Living at Home: A Cross-Sectional Study

Constipation a common gastrointestinal symptom of Parkinson’s disease. The causes include multifactorial pathomechanisms, lifestyle, and aging. Constipation in people with Parkinson’s disease worsens their motor symptoms and disturbs their daily activities. Therefore, addressing constipation is a challenging but essential part of disease management. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate the relationship between constipation severity and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease. The Japanese versions of the Constipation Assessment Scale version 2 and Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39, respectively, were used to assess each domain. We examined the correlation of each variable and performed multiple regression analysis with the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire 39 total score and each subscale (mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well-being, stigma, social support, cognitions, communication, and bodily discomfort) as measures of the dependent variables, and the Japanese version of the Constipation Assessment Scale version 2 score as the independent variable measure. Results from the 309 participants revealed that overall quality of life, emotional well-being, and cognitions were factors significantly associated with the severity of constipation in people with Parkinson’s disease. These findings make it reasonable to suggest that relief from constipation severity could be associated with a better quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease.