title: Peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies suggest an increased frequency of peripheral neuropathy (PN) in Parkinson's disease patients (PD) (Toth et al. 2010). The aim of our study is to verify the increased frequency of PN in our group of PD patients compared to an age-matched control group. We sorted patients according to the duration of L-DOPA treatment, L-DOPA dosage, and age below or over 50 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We conducted electromyography examinations (using conduction studies and needle electromyography) of 49 PD patients with asymptomatic polyneuropathy and 40 controls. Patients without risk factors for PN were included (fasting blood was analyzed to rule out possible causes of PN), as were relatively healthy controls without risk factors for PN. PN was defined using the American Academy of Neurology and Electrodiagnostic Medicine criteria (England et al. 2005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of polyneuropathy was significantly higher in PD patients than in controls (45% versus 2%, p<0.0001). We did not establish a relationship in the PD group according to long-term L-DOPA usage, PD duration, or age. It should be assumed that a neurodegenerative process underlies the involvement of the central and peripheral nervous systems in PD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Grambalova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaiserova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vastik
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mensíkova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Otruba
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zapletalova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dufek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc, Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kanovsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007980:Levodopa