Association between motor symptom severity and urinary dysfunction in Parkinson's disease: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Urology

Background:

• Urinary dysfunction is a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD).
• Its association with motor symptom severity is poorly understood.
• Urinary issues negatively impact quality of life for PD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between motor symptom severity and urinary dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.
• To assess how urinary symptoms change across different stages of PD motor progression.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cross-sectional study of 223 Parkinson's disease patients.
• Utilized Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) to evaluate urinary dysfunction.
• Categorized patients by Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stages (early vs. late) to analyze symptom changes.

Main Results:

• Urinary dysfunction, measured by OABSS and IPSS scores, significantly increased with advancing HY stage.
• Late-stage PD patients (HY > 2) showed significantly higher OABSS, IPSS-symptom, and IPSS-satisfaction scores compared to early-stage patients.
• Storage urinary symptoms correlated more strongly with motor severity than voiding symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Urinary dysfunction intensifies with the progression of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.
• Early identification and proactive management of urinary symptoms are vital for enhancing the quality of life in PD patients.