title: Substantia nigra echogenicity correlated with clinical features of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transcranial sonography can display structural alterations in the substantia nigra (SN) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and is considered to be a potential useful tool for the diagnosis of PD. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between SN echogenicity and clinical features in Chinese patients with PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 420 subjects including 290 patients with PD and 130 controls were recruited from the neurological clinic or the community. Transcranial sonographic evaluations of the SN were performed in all subjects, and motor and non-motor symptoms were thoroughly assessed by a series of rating scales in PD patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and one patients were successfully assessed by transcranial sonography. SN hyperechogenicity was found to be associated with male sex (p = 0.004), higher scores on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part II (p = 0.001) and autonomic symptoms scores (p = 0.003). Moreover, regression analysis revealed that UPDRS part II scores (odds ratio = 1.141, p < 0.001) and gender (odds ratio = 2.409, p = 0.007) could be the independent predictors for SN hyperechogenicity; in addition, among all items of UPDRS part II, speech, dressing, hygiene, and turning in bed and adjusting bed clothes significantly correlated with SN hyperechogenicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report suggesting the correlation between SN echogenicity and UPDRS part II, and we conclude that increased SN echogenicity might reflect more severe disease disability or poorer medical response.
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Hai-Yan
authors: HY
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Sun
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Yu-Yan
authors: YY
authors: Tan
authors: Department of Ultrasonography, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Yun-Yun
authors: YY
authors: Hu
authors: Department of Ultrasonography, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Wei-Wei
authors: WW
authors: Zhan
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Dun-Hui
authors: DH
authors: Li
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Qin
authors: Q
authors: Xiao
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: jly0520@hotmail.com.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: chen_sd@medmail.com.
authors: Sheng-Di
authors: SD
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
keywords: Chinese; Disease severity; Parkinson's disease; Substantia nigra; Transcranial sonography