Managing fatigue in Parkinson's disease: Preparing for a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Occupational Therapy
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Fatigue is a prevalent and impactful symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD), yet it is often under-researched and undertreated.
• Effective interventions are crucial to improve the quality of life for individuals with PD experiencing severe fatigue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an individual videoconference version of the Packer Managing Fatigue program for people with PD.
• To gather data informing the design of a larger, definitive randomized controlled trial.

Main Methods:

• A two-arm, assessor-masked, randomized controlled pilot study.
• Recruited participants with PD experiencing severe fatigue, possessing English proficiency and internet access.
• Assessed outcomes including occupational performance, satisfaction, occupational balance, fatigue impact, quality of life, and sleep using mixed repeated-measures ANOVA and non-parametric tests.

Main Results:

• A trend towards significant improvement in satisfaction with performance was observed in the intervention group compared to usual care (p=0.09).
• Significant improvement in satisfaction with performance was found within the intervention group (p=0.04) with a moderate effect size.
• Small to moderate effect sizes were noted for occupational balance and performance, and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory subscales.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary evidence suggests the Packer Managing Fatigue program may offer benefits for individuals with Parkinson's disease.
• The study provides valuable insights into recruitment and effect sizes for future, larger trials.
• Further rigorous research is necessary to definitively establish the program's effectiveness in managing PD-related fatigue.