Objective To investigate the characteristics of health related quality of life(HR-QOL) in Chinese patients with early Parkinson' s disease(PD), to identify the motor and non-motor factors that are associated with a poorer quality of life in patients with early PD. Methods All 391 patients with early PD were identified in a clinical-based study. Motor functions were measured by Unified Parkinson' s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Hoehn-Yabr Scale. Non-motor variables were assessed by Center of Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale (CES-D) for depressive symptoms, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep disturbance, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) for fatigue, Alzheimer' s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Sections (ADAS-Cng) for cognitive function, and Constipation Severity Scale for constipation. HR-QOL was measured by SF-36. Motor and non-motor variables were collected at the baseline assessment of a clinical trial and determined during a structured interview and by clinical examination by movement disorder specialists. The results were compared with those in healthy elderly people. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine which variables were strongly associated with lower levels of quality of life. Results Patients with early PD had a lower score on all dimensions of SF-36, except bodily pain dimension. Motor factors, particular physical disability and disease severity, contributed to decreased HR-QOL, but to a lesser extent. The motor score of the UPDRS (23. 8±11.8), Hoehn-Yahr stage(2. 0± 0.7), together with the rigidity score (4.4 ± 3.1), only accounted for 18.9 % (R2=0. 189) of the variance of SF-36 total score. The variables that most strongly predicted a low total SF-36 score were non-motor factors, particularly depressive symptoms, sleep disorders and fatigue. When the CES-D, FSS, and PSQI score were included in the model, the R2 increased from 0. 189 to 0.617, indicating that 61.7% of the variance in HR-QOL could be explained if additional CES-D, FSS and PSQI scores were known. Depressive symptoms, as measured by CES-D, had an overwhelming impact on HR-QOL. When CES-D score was included, the R2 change was 0.433, which indicated that additional 43.3% of the variability in HR-QOL could be explained by adding depressive symptoms. Conclusions PD has a substantial impact on HR-QOL, even if in its early stage. Depressive symptoms, sleep disorders and fatigue correlated strongly with lower quality of life. Depressive symptoms appeared to be the strongest determinant of HR-QOL in early PD patients. Every effort should be made to recognize and treat these conditions, thus improving all aspects of PD and giving these patients as good a quality of life as possible.