Prevalence and functional impact of parkinsonian signs in older adults from the Good Aging in Skåne study.

INTRODUCTION: Mild parkinsonian signs (MPS) have been characterized by several definitions, using the motor part of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). We aimed to investigate the prevalence of MPS and their association with functional level and comorbidities in the oldest old. METHOD: Community-dwelling older adults (n = 559, median age 85, range 80-102 years) were examined regarding MPS, possible parkinsonism (PP) and subthreshold parkinsonism (SP) according to four previously used definitions and concerning the impact of parkinsonian signs on cognitive, physical, and autonomic function. MPS, PP and SP are different terms describing a very similar phenomenon and there is no gradation between these. In two of the four definitions more advanced symptoms were categorized as parkinsonism. RESULTS: Median UPDRS score in the whole study group was 10 points (range: 0-58) and was predominated by bradykinesia. MPS/PP/SP were present in 17-85%, and parkinsonism in 33-71% of the cohort. Independently of age and gender, MPS/PP/SP and especially parkinsonism, were associated with a higher risk of fear of falling and accomplished falls, with lower: cognition, ADL, physical activity and quality of life, and with urinary incontinence, obstipation and orthostatic intolerance. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of older adults above 80 years, MPS are highly prevalent as well as more advanced symptoms defined as parkinsonism, and only 9-17% of the cohort is symptom-free. Predominance of bradykinesia in the oldest old might indicate a need for revision of MPS definitions to improve their sensibility.

Analysis of clinical features of mild motor symptoms in prodromal Parkinson′s disease / 中华神经科杂志

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and evolution of mild motor symptoms (MMS) in patients with prodromal Parkinson′s disease (pPD).Methods:Based on the pPD cohort screened by Parkinson′s Disease Prodromal Clinical Assessment Scale in Nanjing community from July 2018 to December 2020, the clinical data of 30 patients with pPD who completed the baseline assessment and were followed up for at least 1 year were analyzed. According to the Unified Parkinson Diease Rating Scale Ⅲ (UPDRS-Ⅲ) score, the patients were divided into MMS group (UPDRS-Ⅲ score>3) and non-MMS group (NMMS group, UPDRS-Ⅲ score≤3). The differences and evolution characteristics of clinical characteristics between the 2 groups were compared. Multivariate linear regression was used to analyze the risk factors of motor symptom progression in pPD patients.Results:Among the 30 patients with pPD, 7 of 23 patients in the MMS group were converted to PD at the end of follow-up, 1 of 7 patients in the NMMS group were converted to PD at the end of follow-up. The UPDRS-Ⅲ score [10.00 (7.00, 17.00)], Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) score [25.50 (24.75, 28.00)] and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score [9.00 (5.00, 13.00)] at the end of follow-up of pPD patients were significantly higher than those at baseline [7.00 (4.00, 12.00), 24.00 (22.75, 25.25) and 8.00 (2.00, 11.00)], and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=-3.505, P<0.001; Z=-2.956, P=0.003; Z=-2.427, P=0.015).Subgroup analysis showed that UPDRS-Ⅲ score [11.00 (7.00, 18.00)], MoCA score [25.00 (24.00, 27.00)] and HAMA score [ 9.00 (6.00, 15.00)] at the end of follow-up in the MMS group were higher than those at baseline [8.00 (6.00, 12.00), 24.00 (22.00, 25.00) and 9.00 (3.00, 11.00)], and the difference was statistically significant (Z=-2.768, P=0.006; Z=-2.457, P=0.014; Z=-2.250, P=0.024). The Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire score at the end of follow-up in the MMS group (8.96±5.20) was significantly lower than that in the baseline (11.04±4.41), and the difference was statistically significant ( t=2.441, P=0.023).There was no significant difference in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Rapid Eyes Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-HK) and Sniffin′ sticks olfactory test score at the end of follow-up in the MMS group. Only UPDRS-Ⅲ score in the NMMS group was increased at the end of follow-up [7.00 (5.00, 8.00)] compared with the baseline [4.00 (1.00, 4.00)], and the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-2.375, P=0.018). There was no significant difference in MoCA, MMSE, HAMA, HAMD, RBDQ-HK, and Sniffin′ sticks olfactory test score between the NMMS group and the baseline at the end of follow-up. Conclusion:The clinical conversion rate of pPD patients with MMS is high,and screening of this population should be paid attention.