A better way to assess the impact of Parkinson’s

Experts have launched a pilot study of easy-to-use composite scale aimed at improving Parkinson’s diagnosis and treatment across the world

The European Parkinson’s Disease Association (Parkinson’s Europe) has launched a pilot study to test a new measurement scale for Parkinson’s.

The new composite scale will score motor symptoms such as dyskinesia, tremor, balance and gait and non-motor symptoms such as fatigue, urinary issues, pain, memory and depression, in order to assess impact on quality of life.

Professor Fabrizio Stocchi, who is leading the new project on behalf of Parkinson’s Europe, said: “The new scale will be used globally and will be the most effective method of determining the severity of Parkinson’s symptoms. We want the scale to be simple enough to understand by all healthcare professionals as well as people with Parkinson’s.”

Professor Ray Chaudhuri of Kings College, London, UK, and Dr Pablo Martinez from Madrid, Spain, are working closely with Professor Stocchi, and the new scale is being tested in a pilot study that began this month (April 2015). When interviewing people with Parkinson’s, clinicians will ask them to use the scale’s scoring system to rate the severity of their symptoms over the past month.

The new scale, which will be fully validated, is to be extensively tested with both patients and a range of healthcare professionals across Europe from June to October this year. The results will be analysed in October and November. 

The scale is one of the key activities within My PD Journey – a new multi-stakeholder initiative for people with Parkinson’s in Europe, led by Parkinson’s Europe. 

My PD Journey aims to create a sustainable environment that ensures people with Parkinson’s receive optimal and timely access to appropriate diagnosis, treatment and care throughout the progression of their disease.