title: Assessment of autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease: the SCOPA-AUT.
abstract: We developed a questionnaire to assess autonomic symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and evaluated its reliability and validity. Based on the results of a postal survey in 46 PD patients, 21 multiple system atrophy patients, and 8 movement disorders specialists, items were included according to their frequency, burden, and clinical relevance. The questionnaire was evaluated in 140 PD patients and 100 controls, and test-retest reliability was established in a sample of 55 PD patients. The SCOPA-AUT consists of 25 items assessing the following regions: gastrointestinal (7), urinary (6), cardiovascular (3), thermoregulatory (4), pupillomotor (1), and sexual (2 items for men and 2 items for women) dysfunction. Test-retest reliability was good. Autonomic problems increased significantly with increasing disease severity for all autonomic regions, except sexual dysfunction. We conclude that SCOPA-AUT is a reliable and valid questionnaire that evaluates autonomic dysfunction in PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. m.visser@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marinus
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stiggelbout
authors.forename: Jacobus J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Van Hilten
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012803:Sick Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires