A pilot study on the clinical characteristics of Parkinson' s disease patients with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the incidence of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and its impact on the clinical manifestations of patients with Parkinson' s disease (PD). Methods One hundred and twenty-four PD patients were included into this study and each of them was given the non motor symptoms questionnaire (NMSquest) to investigate the incidence of RBD. The PD patients were then divided into the RBD group and non RBD group, according to their answers to the NMSquest. Then the clinical differences were investigated between PD patients with and without RBD on the aspects of demographic characters, Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) stage, the scores of Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) sub-items, the incidence of non motor symptoms, and the dysfunctions of non motor systems (cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders ). The evaluation tools of non motor functions include Mini Mental State Exam ( MMSE), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Parkins' s Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Results ( 1 ) 62.9% (78/124) of the PD patients have been experiencing RBD. (2) The course of the disease in RBD group ( 3.8 ± 2.8 ) was significantly shorter than non RBD group (5.0 ± 2.5, t = - 1. 972, P = 0. 048 ) while the sex, age, onset age and the mode of onset, Levodopa dose equivalents (LDE) and the kinds of medicines showed no difference between the two groups. (3) H-Y stage, the scores of UPDRS sub-items and the incidence of motor complications showed no difference between RBD and non RBD group. (4) Most of the non motor symptoms, including the gastrointestinal dysfunctions, autonomic dysfunctions, mood disorders and sleep disturbances, occurred much frequently in RBD group, however, the scores of MMSE, HAMD, HAMA,PDSS and ESS showed no difference between the RBD and non RBD group. Conclusion RBD commonly occurred in PD patients, and PD patients with RBD have a tendency to suffer from dysfunction of non motor systems.