Relationships Between Bladder Dysfunction, Fatigue, Quality of Life, and Mobility in People With Parkinson Disease

Purpose: Examine the relationship between bladder dysfunction, fatigue, quality of life (QoL), and mobility in people with Parkinson Disease (PD). Methods: In this cross-sectional secondary analysis, bladder dysfunction was measured by the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale bladder function score (UPDRS bladder function scores, item 1.10). The Parkinson’s Fatigue Scale-16 measured fatigue. The Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire measured physical and nonphysical QoL. The 10-M Walk Test and timed up and go (TUG) measured functional mobility, and average step-count measured real-world mobility. Associations of the UPDRS bladder function scores with fatigue, QoL, and mobility were determined using Spearman-rank correlations. Differences between UPDRS bladder function scores 0 to 1 (normal-to-slight) and 2 to 4 (mild-to-severe) groups were determined using independent t tests. Results: Twenty-nine people with PD with mild-to-moderate disability (Hoehn and Yahr 2-4) were included. The sample was 66% male (69.4 ± 9.4 years old, Hoehn and Yahr of 2.2 ± 0.7). UPDRS bladder function scores were mild-to-severe in 44.8%. Fair-to-moderate correlations were present between UPDRS bladder function scores and fatigue (ρ = 0.48, P = .009), overall QoL (ρ = 0.50, P = .008), physical QoL (ρ = 0.56, P < .001), nonphysical QoL (ρ = 0.39, P = .038), 10-M Walk Test (ρ = 0.42, P = .023), and the TUG (ρ = 0.42, P = .023). Fatigue and QoL were worse in the mild-to-severe bladder dysfunction group than in the normal-to-slight group ( P ≤ .05), but mobility did not differ significantly between groups. Discussion: Self-reported bladder dysfunction was correlated with fatigue, QoL, and functional mobility, but not real-world mobility, in people with PD. These relationships emphasize the role of rehabilitation clinicians in addressing interconnected symptoms and support further research into the implications for bladder screening in clinical care.