Online Comprehensive Care Therapy Complementary Program Improves Quality of Life in People with Parkinson’s Disease

Objectives: Non-pharmacological therapies are a cornerstone of Parkinson’s disease (PD) treatment, but there is not enough evidence of their benefit when delivered altogether online. Our objective was to analyze the efficacy and safety of an online comprehensive care therapy program (OL-CCTP) in people with PD (PwP). Material and methods: This was a proof-of-concept experimental, prospective, 6-month interventional study comparing a PD treatment group (PwP-T) with a control group (PwP-C). The OL-CCTP included group sessions of physical therapy/therapeutic exercise, nutrition, speech therapy, cognitive stimulation, and psychological support (126 sessions over 6 months). The primary outcome was the change in quality of life at 6 months, as measured by the PDQ-39 questionnaire. Mood (Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II]), the non-motor symptom burden (Non-Motor Symptoms Scale [NMSS]), and disability (Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale [ADLS]) were also assessed. Results: Sixty patients (36 PwP-T and 24 PwP-C) completed the assessments. A reduction of 12.9% (from 78.4 ± 17.9 to 68.3 ± 18.7; p < 0.0001) was observed in the PDQ-39 total score in the PwP-T group (p < 0.0001), compared to 1.5% (from 77.8 ± 22.2 to 76.6 ± 27.9; p = 0.438) in the PwP-C group (p = 0.009). The BDI-II and NMSS scores decreased significantly by 13.1% (p = 0.001) and 20.3% (p = 0.046), respectively, in the PwP-T group but not in the PwP-C group. There were no significant changes in ADLS in either group. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions: After 6 months of OL-CCTP, an improvement of 12.9% was observed in the quality of life of patients with PD.