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Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Quantitative Autonomic Testing
Published on: July 19, 2011
Assessment of autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease: the SCOPA-AUT
Martine Visser1, Johan Marinus, Anne M Stiggelbout
1Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. m.visser@lumc.nl
Abstract:
We developed a questionnaire to assess autonomic symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and evaluated its reliability and validity. Based on the results of a postal survey in 46 PD patients, 21 multiple system atrophy patients, and 8 movement disorders specialists, items were included according to their frequency, burden, and clinical relevance. The questionnaire was evaluated in 140 PD patients and 100 controls, and test-retest reliability was established in a sample of 55 PD patients. The SCOPA-AUT consists of 25 items assessing the following regions: gastrointestinal (7), urinary (6), cardiovascular (3), thermoregulatory (4), pupillomotor (1), and sexual (2 items for men and 2 items for women) dysfunction. Test-retest reliability was good. Autonomic problems increased significantly with increasing disease severity for all autonomic regions, except sexual dysfunction. We conclude that SCOPA-AUT is a reliable and valid questionnaire that evaluates autonomic dysfunction in PD.
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