Introduction: Over the last decade there has been growing interest in the study of the impact of Parkinson's disease (PD) on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients. Specific instruments have been developed to measure it and today these are frequently applied, together with generic measurements of HRQL, in clinical trials and other studies. This review is part of a series of two papers, the aim of which is to describe the current situation of studies on HRQL in PD and to detect areas in which knowledge is lacking, as a possible guide to researchers in future projects.
Aim: To review the concepts, instruments, comparative studies and the effect of treatments on the HRQL of patients with PD.
Development: The fundamental concepts of HRQL and the instruments used to measure it are described. The main findings as regards comparative studies about the HRQL of patients with PD are also outlined. Finally, the article examines the effect of treatments on HRQL, including alternative therapies.
Conclusions: Despite the significant progress being made in this field, further studies with a rigorous methodology and longitudinal data are needed.