title: Evaluation of extracranial blood flow in Parkinson disease.
abstract: Decreased cerebral flow velocities in Parkinsonian patients were reported previously. Because of the limited data on vascular changes in Parkinson disease (PD), which may have a vascular etiology, we aimed to disclose any possible cerebral hemodynamic alteration in Parkinsonian patients. We prospectively evaluated 28 non-demented, idiopathic parkinsonian patients and 19 age and sex matched controls with Doppler sonography. Flow volumes, peak systolic flow velocities, and cross-sectional areas of vertebral and internal carotid arteries (ICA) were measured and compared between patients and controls. Correlation of patient age and disease duration with Doppler parameters was observed; and each Doppler parameter of patients within each Hoehn-Yahr scale was compared. There was no significant difference of measured parameters between groups. No correlation was found between disease duration and age with flow volume, cross-sectional area or peak systolic velocity. Hoehn-Yahr scale was not found having significant relation with Doppler parameters. Values of vertebral, internal carotid and cerebral blood flow volumes (CBF), peak systolic velocities, and cross-sectional areas were not significantly different between Parkinsonian patients and age and sex matched controls. Although regional blood flow decreases may be seen as reported previously, Parkinson disease is not associated with a flow volume or velocity alteration of extracranial cerebral arteries.
authors.affiliation: Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mavi Hastane, 03120 Afyon, Turkey. dralpay@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Alpay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haktanir
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gecici
authors.forename: Reha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Demirel
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Albayrak
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demirkirkan
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004453:Echoencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*