[Orthostatic hypotension and prognosis in spinocerebellar degeneration]

To study the prognosis, the patients with various types of spinocerebellar degeneration, examined as inpatients in Department of Neurology, University of Occupational and Environmental Health form 1979 to Oct., 1988, were followed up and classified into three groups, based on their medical records reviewed retrospectively. The survival or death was confirmed for each patient at the end of Oct., 1988. Group I included 11 patients who developed cerebellar ataxia after the symptom or/and sign of orthostatic hypotension. Group II included 13 patients who developed cerebellar ataxia followed by orthostatic hypotension. Group III included 18 patients who showed cerebellar ataxia without orthostatic hypotension. The percentages of the dead patients in groups I, II and III were 82 (9 out of 11), 62 (8 out of 13) and 17 (3 out of 18%), respectively. The median of the age at the onset of the initial symptom or sign of all the patients in each group and the median of the survival interval from the onset of the dead patients were similar among three groups. The median of the age at both the onset and death of the dead patients tended to be higher in group III than those in group I and II. The maximum blood pressure on standing and the difference of the maximum blood pressure between on lying and on standing were not statistically correlated with the survival interval after such blood pressure evaluation among the dead patients in both groups I and II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)