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Patient-Reported Symptom Burden in Individuals With Parkinson Disease.
Jamison Seabury1, Jennifer Weinstein1, Spencer James Rosero1
1Center for Health + Technology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
Neurology. Clinical Practice
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Parkinson disease significantly impacts daily life through fatigue and sleep issues, beyond motor symptoms. Understanding these burdens helps improve patient care and management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Patient-Reported Outcomes
- Symptom Research
Background:
- Parkinson disease (PD) management requires understanding patient-reported symptoms.
- Identifying prevalent and impactful symptoms is crucial for improving clinical care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the most prevalent and impactful symptoms of Parkinson disease directly from patients.
- To determine demographic and clinical factors associated with higher symptomatic burden in PD.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interviews with 20 PD patients yielded 2,978 symptom quotes.
- A cross-sectional survey of 404 PD patients assessed 301 symptoms across 14 themes.
- Subgroup analysis identified characteristics linked to increased symptomatic burden.
Main Results:
- Sleep disturbances/daytime sleepiness (87.0%) and fatigue (84.7%) were most prevalent.
- Fatigue (1.34) and sleep disturbances (1.29) had the greatest impact.
- Speech impairment, gait freezing, and tremor >5 years correlated with higher burden.
Conclusions:
- Parkinson disease presents a multisystemic burden, extending beyond cardinal motor symptoms.
- Fatigue and sleep disturbances are highly prevalent and significantly impact PD patients.
- Patient-reported data is vital for comprehensive PD understanding and management.
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