The Significance of Psychological Support in Managing Depression in Parkinson's Disease: Combining Venlafaxine with Pramipexole and Psychological Care

Abstract

Background: Depression is a common comorbidity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and can significantly impact their overall well-being. The combination of venlafaxine and pramipexole is a standard treatment approach for depression in PD. However, the effects of incorporating psychological care into the treatment regimen remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological intervention in the treatment of depression in Parkinson's disease, using a combination of venlafaxine and pramipexole.

Methods: The clinical data of 151 patients with both Parkinson's disease (PD) and depression, treated in Geriatric Hospital of Hainan from May 2021 to May 2023, were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 151 patients, 71 received routine nursing care and were allocated to the control group, while the remaining 80 patients received psychological nursing care based on routine nursing care and were assigned to the study group. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were used to evaluate the degree of depression and anxiety in both groups before and after care. The MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was employed to assess the quality of life of both groups before and after care. The efficacy and adverse reactions in both groups were also analyzed.

Results: Before care, the HAMD and HAMA scores did not significantly differ between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, after care, both groups exhibited a significant reduction in HAMD and HAMA scores (p < 0.0001), with a more pronounced decrease observed in the study group (p < 0.0001). Prior to care, there was no significant difference in SF-36 scores between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, following care, the SF-36 scores markedly increased in both groups (p < 0.0001), with a more pronounced increase in the study group (p < 0.0001). Additionally, a significantly lower overall response rate was noted in the control group compared to the study group (p = 0.013), while no significant difference was observed in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (p = 0.273).

Conclusion: Utilizing venlafaxine combined with pramipexole in the treatment of depression in PD, supplemented by psychological nursing care, significantly enhances therapeutic efficacy. This combined approach effectively alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients without introducing additional side effects. Hence, it emerges as a valuable clinical treatment option.

Fig. 1.

Depression and anxiety degree of the two groups before and after nursing. (A) Inter-group comparison of HAMD scores before and after nursing; (B) Inter-group comparison of HAMA scores before and after nursing; Notes: ns, non-significant; p $>$ 0.05; **** p 0.0001. HAMD, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; HAMA, Hamilton Anxiety Scale.

Fig. 2.

SF-36 scores of the two groups before and after nursing. Notes: ns, non-significant; p $>$ 0.05; **** p 0.0001. SF-36, MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey.