ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) are mostly related to dopamine replacement therapy (DRT); however, drug-naïve PD patients have also frequently experienced impulsivity. This phenomenon makes clinicians hesitate treating patients with DRT. In this study, we assessed the effect of impulsivity on quality of life (QOL) in drug-naïve PD patients. METHODS: Two hundred three newly diagnosed, nonmedicated PD patients were enrolled, and they received structured clinical interviews, physical examinations and validated questionnaires to evaluate motor and nonmotor symptoms and QOL. Impulsivity was evaluated using the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS). RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients (18.7%) had impulsivity with QUIP-RS scores ≥ 1 and 4 patients (2.0%) were diagnosed with combined ICDs. Motor and nonmotor symptoms were significantly correlated with the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 summary index. Female sex and QUIP-RS scores were also correlated with QOL in drug-naïve PD patients. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that impulsivity negatively influences QOL in early drug-naïve PD patients. In addition, more severe motor and nonmotor symptoms were also associated with lower QOL. Such findings complicate treatment but provide valuable information for managing early PD.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders , Dopamine , Impulsive Behavior , Parkinson Disease , Physical Examination , Quality of LifeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recent studies have shown that several nonmotor symptoms differ between Parkinson's disease (PD) and drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP). However, there have been no reports on cardiovascular autonomic function in DIP, and so this study investigated whether cardiovascular autonomic function differs between PD and DIP patients. METHODS: This study consecutively enrolled 20 DIP patients, 99 drug-naïve PD patients, and 25 age-matched healthy controls who underwent head-up tilt-table testing and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. RESULTS: Orthostatic hypotension was more frequent in patients with PD or DIP than in healthy controls. In DIP, orthostatic hypotension was associated with the underlying psychiatric diseases and neuroleptics use, whereas prokinetics were not related to orthostatic hypotension. The supine blood pressure, nighttime blood pressure, and nocturnal blood pressure dipping did not differ significantly between the DIP and control groups. Supine hypertension and nocturnal hypertension were more frequent in PD patients than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: The included DIP patients frequently exhibited orthostatic hypotension that was associated with the underlying diseases as well as the nature of and exposure time to the offending drugs. Clinicians should individualize the manifestations of DIP according to underlying diseases as well as the action mechanism of and exposure time to each offending drug.
Subject(s)
Humans , Antipsychotic Agents , Blood Pressure , Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory , Hypertension , Hypotension, Orthostatic , Parkinson Disease , Parkinsonian Disorders , Tilt-Table TestABSTRACT
With an increasing proportion of the elderly, dementia due to severe cerebral white matter change is frequently observed. Because these patients cannot express their symptoms effectively, the recognition of stroke can be delayed. In addition, clinical characteristics of their stroke might be different. We reported on three patients with severe leukoaraiosis, who exhibited altered consciousness after acute lacunar infarction in the corona radiata. This clinico-radiological discrepancy may have resulted from different susceptibility to ischemia in patients with severe white matter change.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Cerebral Infarction , Consciousness , Dementia , Dementia, Vascular , Ischemia , Leukoaraiosis , Stroke , Stroke, LacunarABSTRACT
Previous studies have shown that patients with tandem occlusions involving extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) have lower likelihood of recanalization by standard intravenous thrombolytic therapy. A 70-years-old man with a history of hypertension was admitted because of left hemiplegia and drowsiness which developed 47 minutes ago. On neurologic examination, he was drowsy and showed neglect syndrome as well as left hemiplegia. Brain CT angiography showed tandem occlusions at right extracranial ICA and proximal MCA. The administration of intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) did not improve his symptoms. We performed angioplasty and stenting for proximal ICA occlusion followed by mechanical thrombolysis for MCA occlusion. After the endovascular treatment, the MCA was recanalized and the patient recovered to show only mild left side weakness. This case shows successful treatment of hyperacute ischemic infarction from tendem occlusion of right MCA and proximal ICA with endovascular treatment following IV tPA thrombolysis.