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Published on: October 14, 2021
Rhinorrhea is increased in Parkinson's disease
Joseph H Friedman1, Melissa M Amick
1Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center of NeuroHealth, Warwick, Rhode Island 02886, USA. joseph_friedman@brown.edu
Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society
|December 13, 2007
Summary
Rhinorrhea, or runny nose, is common in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, affecting about half. This early symptom is linked to reduced sense of smell in PD.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Otorhinolaryngology
Background:
- Rhinorrhea is reportedly increased in Parkinson's disease (PD), but evidence is limited.
- A single prior publication suggests a link between PD and rhinorrhea.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence of rhinorrhea in Parkinson's disease patients.
- To investigate the association between rhinorrhea and olfactory impairment in PD.
- To determine if rhinorrhea is an early or premotor symptom of PD.
Main Methods:
- Two case-control studies were conducted in Rhode Island.
- A cross-sectional study and a study of consecutive de novo patients were performed.
- Participants were questioned about rhinorrhea and self-perceived olfactory function.
Main Results:
- Rhinorrhea affects approximately 50% of Parkinson's disease patients in Rhode Island.
- Rhinorrhea was significantly more prevalent in PD patients compared to controls.
- Rhinorrhea was identified as an early feature of PD, present at initial presentation.
- A significant association was found between rhinorrhea and self-perceived reduced olfaction.
Conclusions:
- Rhinorrhea is a common symptom in Parkinson's disease.
- Rhinorrhea may be an early or even premotor symptom of PD.
- The presence of rhinorrhea could potentially confound the assessment of olfactory impairment in PD.
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