Status quo and influencing factors of balance in middle-aged and elderly patients with Parkinson's disease: A CHARLS-based national longitudinal study

Wu-xiao Wei¹Xin-gui Zhuo²Hong-Qiao Chen¹Ming-Li Chen^1*

• ¹Guangxi University of Science and Technology First Affiliated Hospital, Liuzhou, China
• ²Wuzhou Medical College, Wuzhou, China

Backgr ound:To investigate the status quo and influencing factors of balance in middle-aged and elderly patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). To analyze different factors influencing the balance of middle-aged and elderly PD patients, and to explore the correlations of these factors with the patient balance. Methods: The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) Database in 2015, 2018 and 2020 were utilized as the data source, from which the missing value samples were excluded and 1390 participants aged ≥ 45 years were recruited. Using the chi-square test, balance comparisons were made among middle-aged and elderly PD patients under different indicators. The influences of different factors on the patient balance were investigated through regression analysis. Results: Regression analysis revealed the correlations of age, gender, smoking, falls, hypertension, diabetes and physical activity with balance in PD patients. A significant association between aging and declined balance was found, with middle-aged and elderly PD patients aged > 65 years showing a higher probability of declined balance (OR= 0.716, p= 0.016). Male middle-aged and elderly PD patients exhibited better balance than female counterparts (OR= 1.829, p=0.001). Previous smoking (OR= 0.580, p= 0.004), falls (OR= 0.769, p=0.035), hypertension (OR= 0.738, p=0.019) and diabetes (OR= 0.734, p=0.027) were positively correlated with the declined balance in PD patients. Light physical activity could significantly improve balance in middle-aged and elderly PD patients (OR= 1.672, p<0.001). Conclusions: Balance tends to decrease with age, suggesting that the clinicians should pay more attention to the balance problems of older patients during the PD treatment and management. Suggestively, there is a need to strengthen the intervention and management of these risk factors, while adequate light physical activities are of great significance to improving the quality of life and health level of middle-aged and elderly PD patients.