Nonmotor symptoms in de novo Parkinson disease before and after dopaminergic treatment.
BACKGROUND
Nonmotor symptoms (NMSs) are common in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), but little is known about the burden of the full range of NMSs in de novo PD patients.


OBJECTIVE
NMSs in untreated de novo PD patients were evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively using the Non-Motor Symptoms Assessment Scale (NMSS); the findings were compared to those of control subjects. The effects of dopaminergic treatment on NMSs were also determined.


METHODS
NMSs were evaluated in 23 patients with untreated de novo PD and 23 healthy controls. The motor section of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (mUPDRS) and the Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stage were also checked in the PD patients. The number of NMSs and the NMSS scores of the PD patients were compared with those of the controls. Three months after the start of dopaminergic medication, 16 PD patients were reevaluated with respect to the NMSS and mUPDRS, and the HY stage.


RESULTS
The number of NMSs and the NMSS scores were significantly higher in the PD patients than in the controls. The three most prevalent NMSs among the PD patients were 'nocturia,' 'forget things or events,' and 'restless legs.' In the PD group, the number of NMSs was correlated with the HY stage but not with age, disease duration, or mUPDRS score. Follow-up of 16 patients at 3months after commencing PD medication revealed no changes in either the number of NMSs or the NMSS score, despite improvement in motor symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Untreated de novo PD patients have more nonmotor problems than controls, and these NMSs are not ameliorated by dopaminergic medication.
Kim
Han-Joon
HJ
Department of Neurology, Movement Disorder Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Park
So-Young
SY
Cho
Yong-Jin
YJ
Hong
Keun-Sik
KS
Cho
Joong-Yang
JY
Seo
So-Young
SY
Lee
Dong-Ha
DH
Jeon
Beom S
BS
D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D053158:Nocturia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077487:Pramipexole; D015995:Prevalence; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D007211:Indoles; C046649:ropinirole; D007980:Levodopa; D000077487:Pramipexole