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Autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease: A prospective cohort study
Aristide Merola1, Alberto Romagnolo2, Michela Rosso1
1Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society
|December 27, 2017
Summary
Dysautonomia significantly worsens in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients over one year, impacting daily activities and quality of life. Orthostatic hypotension, even without symptoms, increases falls and healthcare use in PD.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Dysautonomia is a common and debilitating complication of Parkinson's disease (PD), affecting 30-40% of patients.
- It significantly impacts patients' quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the progression of dysautonomia and orthostatic hypotension in a cohort of unselected PD patients.
- To determine how dysautonomia progression affects daily activities, quality of life, and healthcare utilization.
Main Methods:
- A 12-month prospective observational study of 131 consecutive PD patients.
- Utilized clinical measures including UPDRS, Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson Disease-Autonomic, and Orthostatic Hypotension Symptoms Assessment.
- Quantified healthcare utilization via hospitalizations, emergency visits, and outpatient evaluations.
Main Results:
- Autonomic symptom severity worsened by 20% over 12 months, with orthostatic hypotension prevalence increasing from 31.1% to 46.7%.
- Worsening autonomic symptoms correlated with declines in daily living activities and quality of life.
- Orthostatic hypotension, symptomatic or not, was linked to increased falls and healthcare utilization.
Conclusions:
- Autonomic symptom severity progression in PD is significant over one year.
- This progression is independently associated with impairments in daily activities and quality of life.
- Both symptomatic and asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension contribute to increased falls and healthcare utilization in Parkinson's disease.