Evaluation of quality of life and functional independence in parkinson's patients on an intrinsic levodopa pump

Parkinson's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms. Currently, there are various treatment modalities for the management of Parkinson's disease, one of which is the intestine levodopa pump. This study aims to examine the effects of the use of the intestinel levodopa pump on quality of life and functional independence in individuals with advanced Parkinson's disease. The clinical definition, etiology, pathophysiology and treatment modalities of Parkinson's disease were discussed, and the effects on quality of life and functional independence levels of patients were discussed. The study was conducted on a total of 21 Parkinson's patients and data on socio-demographic characteristics and disease status were collected. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 28 software, normality assumption was evaluated by Shapiro-Wilk test and non-parametric analysis methods were applied. Results showed that the use of intestinel levodopa pump led to a significant increase in the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ) scores of Parkinson's patients. In addition, it was determined that this treatment method may show different effects according to the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients. The study found that intestinel levodopa treatment improved the quality of life and functional independence of individuals with Parkinson's disease, but these improvements may vary according to patient demographics. These findings highlight the importance of personalized approaches in the management of Parkinson's disease. This thesis offers new perspectives in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and aims to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field. Keywords: Parkinson's disease, intestinel levodopa, quality of life, functional independence.