Dysphagia in the patients with Parkinson's Disease

ABSTRACT

Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease is common, but its pathophysiology is poorly understood. We performed esophageal manometry, radionuclide oropharyngeal and esophageal transit study in order to obtain the objective data of the frequency of dysphagia in the patients with Parkinson's and to evaluate the subjective symptoms and motor dysfunction of oropharynx and esophagus. Seventeen idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients(7 men and 10 women) and twenty age-matched controls were subjects for esophageal manometry , radionuclide oropharyngeal(O'IT) and esophageal transit study(ETT). Among 17 patients group, 10 patients were abnormal in esophageal manometry, and 14 were abnormal in radionuclide transit time(ETT). At the results of OTT & E'IT, there is significant difference between patient group and age-matched control group(contror group OTT ;2.64+1.9, ETT ;14.33+9.4 patient group OTT ;34.21+ 71.6, ETT ; 115.98+116. Lsec) (P < 0. 05). However, there was no significant difference between those with complain of dysphagqa and those without complain of dysphagia. Moreover, there was no correlation among the results of O'IT & EIT, the findings of esophageal manometry, those with complain. Of dysphagia, and H-Y stage. In conclusion, it showed the oropharyngeal and esophageal dysfunction in most of Parkinson's disease patients, which was not related with the severity of dysphagia. The causable lesion of dysphagia involved diffusely throughout oropharynx, body of esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter. And, esophageal manometry and radionuclide transit study might be objective tools for evaluation of dysphagia. The relationship between motor dysfunction of oropharynx and esophagus and the severity of Parkinson's disease is remained to be clear.