Don’t Forget About Autonomic Dysfunction in Patients with Parkinson Disease

PD patients were significantly more likely than controls to experience autonomic symptoms.

Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction occur frequently in Parkinson disease (PD). In this Dutch study, researchers sought to determine the extent of autonomic symptoms in 420 patients (mean age, 61) with PD. Mean duration of PD was 10.5 years; the PD was considered mild, moderate, and severe in 53%, 27%, and 20% of patients, respectively.

Patients completed standardized questionnaires that assessed six domains of autonomic function (gastrointestinal, urinary, cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, pupillomotor, and sexual), and responses were compared with those of 150 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In all domains, larger proportions of PD patients than controls experienced autonomic symptoms. For example, PD patients were significantly more …

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose