Prevalence and Characteristics of Nonmotor Symptoms in Korean Parkinson's Disease Patients and Its Relationship With Experience of Alternative Therapies

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of nonmotor symptoms (NMS)and alternative therapies (ATs) in Korean PD and to elucidate its association. METHODS: Demographic, social, and motor (Hoehn and Yahr stage; HY stage, motor section of Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale; mUPDRS) and NMS questionnaire were recorded in all PD patients (N=50) without significant cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Mean age and HY stage were 70.1 years and 2.3. Mean total numbers of positive NMS (tNMS) per patient was 12.9 and all patients had at least five NMS (range, 5-25). The most common items were nocturia (82%), constipation (70%) and memory disturbance (66%). Urinary (68%) domain was the most frequently involved. The tNMS was higher in female and in the group with higher mUPDRS score. Sleep and depression/anxiety domains were more involved in women. 63% of patients had experienced ATs and among them 29% of patients used ATs simultaneously. Health related food (32%), herbal medicine (32%), ginseng (32%) and acupuncture (23%) were the most commonly used. There was no association between ATs usage and demographic, social, motor and nonmotor characteristics. Among the ATs users, 20% of patients reported the effectiveness of ATs but the mean ATs costs was 12.4 fold higher than the medical costs. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that mean tNMS is higher in Korean PD patients comparing with other previous studies. Women might be more vulnerable to NMS than men expecially in sleep and depression/anxiety. We couldn't found the associated between usage of ATs and clinical variables including NMS.