REM sleep behavior disorder and Prodromal Parkinson's Disease in patients with Essential Tremor.

Several studies suggested the presence of non-motor symptoms in Essential Tremor (ET), including REM sleep behavioral disorder (RBD). RBD is an essential criterion for Prodromal Parkinson's Disease (PPD), suggesting a link between ET and PD. Our objective was to assess the prevalence and features of ET patients with RBD and PDD. RBD was diagnosed by questionnaire screening, followed by polysomnography. PPD risk factors and prodromic markers were assessed with a structured protocol. Patients were characterized regarding tremor features. ET patients with RBD (ET-RBD) and PPD (ET-PPD) were compared to patients without RBD (ET-nonRBD) and without PPD (ET-nonPPD), respectively. ET-RBD patients were also compared with a group of isolated RBD (iRBD) regarding PPD features. We assessed a total of 64 ET patients. Five (8.3 %) and 4 (6.3 %) had criteria for RBD and PPD, respectively. ET-RBD patients did not differ from ET-nonRBD except for a higher prevalence of PPD. There were no significant differences between ET-RBD and iRBD (n = 12) groups. ET-PPD had a higher prevalence of positive DaT-Scans and RBD compared to ET-nonPPD. Three ET-RBD patients had PPD and 3 ET-PPD had RBD. Both RBD and PPD are more frequent in ET patients than in general aged population but not related with specific tremor features. ET-RBD patients did not differ significantly from iRBD patients, a group prone to develop PD. These data suggest a link between ET and PD and are in accordance with studies showing an increase incidence of lewy-body pathology and PD in ET populations.

Unveiling the role of subjective cognitive complaints in predicting cognitive impairment in Parkinson´s Disease- A longitudinal study with 4 year of follow up.

BACKGROUND: Emerging data associated subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) with a heightened risk of future cognitive decline in Parkinson´s Disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether SCC may predict the development of cognitive impairment in PD patients at baseline. METHODS: Over 4 years, major aspects of motor and non-motor symptoms were assessed. SCC were evaluated by non-motor symptoms scale domain-5 (NMSS5). The predictor value of SCC in cognitive change was assessed with univariate linear regression analyses, with NMSS5 at baseline as predictor. Change in cognition (ΔMoCA) was calculated by subtracting Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) scores at baseline from scores obtained at reassessment and employed as the outcome. We replicated these analyses by employing alterations in MoCA subdomains as outcomes. RESULTS: 134 patients were evaluated at baseline, of those 73 PD patients were reassessed four years later. In our study, SCC didn´t act as a predictor for future cognitive decline. However, baseline NMSS5 was associated significantly with variation in attention, naming, and orientation domains. CONCLUSION: Our findings did not support that SCC in PD patients acts as a predictor of global cognitive decline. However, our findings enhance comprehension of how SCC correlates with performance in distinct cognitive areas, thereby providing better guidance for patients on their current complaints.

Musician's dystonia in a percussionist - clinical video analysis and botulinum toxin intervention: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: Musician's focal hand dystonia is a painless task-specific focal dystonia, which presents with involuntary movements, abnormal postures, and loss of fine motor dexterity. We report here the case of a 63-year-old male, percussionist, with african ethnicity, with musician's focal hand dystonia who was treated with botulinum toxin, and describe the results at 4-weeks follow up. METHODS: Clinical examination and video analysis revealed abnormal flexion of the 3rd finger, followed by flexion of the 4th and 5th fingers while playing the congas. Based on these findings, a diagnosis of musician's focal hand dystonia was established. Ten units of botulinum toxin were injected into the muscle fibres of the flexor digitorum superficialis corresponding to the 4th finger using electromyography and ultrasound guidance. Four weeks later, the patient reported a subjective 60% improvement in his performance. He emphasized the effect of botulinum toxin on performance speed and tension over the forearm and hand. CONCLUSION: Botulinum toxin is not a definitive treatment for musician's focal hand dystonia, but it may potentiate other definitive rehabilitation techniques. More research is needed to determine the long-term effects of botulinum toxin on function enhancement in musician's focal hand dystonia.

Headache Phenotypes in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension and Its Short-Term Outcomes: A Retrospective Case Series Study.

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) presents a complex physiopathology, leading into diverse manifestations, notably variable headache phenotypes. Furthermore, its frequent overlap with migraine complicates the evaluation of treatment benefit for IIH-related headache. Our aim was to investigate if there is any relationship between demographic factors, clinical patterns of headache, treatment response, and headache short-term outcome with the headache phenotype of IIH. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of demographic, clinical, and treatment features of patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension presenting with headache and evaluation of headache outcomes in the first 12 months following treatment. Results: Thirty-two patients were included (median age of onset 29.0 years (interquartile range 25.0 - 38.5), 90% females, median body mass index 32.5 kg/m2; 87.5% (n = 28) with papilledema; median cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure 36.5 cm H2O). Patients presented with migraine (n = 11, 34.4%), tension-type (n = 9, 28.1%), or a not-classifiable headache (n = 12, 37.5%). Regarding treatment and short-term follow-up (12 months), there was a failure of medical treatment in 43.8% (n = 14) and a reduction of headaches (≥ 50%) in 62.5% (n = 20) of the patients. Among headache phenotypes, there were no significant differences regarding demographics, clinical features, clinical patterns, or treatment response at baseline. Also, there were no differences regarding response to treatment or headache outcomes in 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up. Conclusions: In our study, migraine and unclassifiable types were the most commonly reported headache phenotypes. Headache phenotype does not appear to be an essential factor in allowing clinical distinction, treatment response, or predicting the short-term headache outcome of this intriguing entity.

The Role of Neurohospitalism in a Specialized Cardiovascular Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery are among the specialties that most commonly require neurology inpatient consultations. We aimed to study the neurology referrals by the cardiovascular-specialized hospital included in our tertiary hospital center. METHODS: Retrospective study of consecutive patients referred for neurology inpatient consultation between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2022. We analyzed referrals, patients' characteristics, and the approach taken. A detailed subanalysis was performed for patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). RESULTS: 143 patients were observed (mean age 67.3 years, 46 [32.2%] females). Most frequent referral reasons were suspected AIS deficits (39.2%), altered mental status (19.6%), suspected seizures (13.3%), and neuroprognostication (11.9%). Mean referral-to-consult time was 2.7 days, and 117 (81.8%) consults were in-person. Additional investigation, treatment changes, and outpatient clinic referral were proposed, respectively, in 79.7%, 60.1%, and 19.6% of patients. Most common diagnoses were AIS (45.5%), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (18.9%), and delirium (7.0%). Regarding patients with AIS (n = 62), most common stroke causes were post-cardiac procedure (44.6%), infective endocarditis (18.5%), aortic dissection (10.8%), acute myocardial infarction (10.8%), and anticoagulant withdrawal in patients with atrial fibrillation (6.2%). Thirty-four AIS patients were diagnosed less than 24 h since last seen well, of which four (6.2%) were treated (three with thrombolysis and one with mechanical thrombectomy). CONCLUSION: AIS is the most common reason for referral in our cardiovascular hospital. Our results highlight the importance of the availability of a neurologist/neurohospitalist with stroke expertise for consultation of inpatients admitted in a specialized cardiovascular hospital.

Proteomics to Identify New Blood Biomarkers for Diagnosing Patients With Acute Stroke.

Background Blood biomarkers are a potential tool for early stroke diagnosis. We aimed to perform a pilot and exploratory study on untargeted blood biomarkers in patients with suspected stroke by using mass spectrometry analysis. Methods and Results This was a prospective observational study of consecutive patients with suspected stroke admitted within 6 hours of last being seen well. Blood samples were collected at admission. Patients were divided into 3 groups: ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and stroke mimics. Quantitative analysis from mass spectrometry data was performed using a supervised approach. Biomarker-based prediction models were developed to differentiate IS from ICH and ICH+stroke mimics. Models were built aiming to minimize misidentification of patients with ICH as having IS. We included 90 patients, one-third within each subgroup. The median age was 71 years (interquartile range, 57-81 years), and 49 participants (54.4%) were women. In quantitative analysis, C3 (complement component 3), ICAM-2 (intercellular adhesion molecule 2), PLGLA (plasminogen like A), STXBP5 (syntaxin-binding protein 5), and IGHV3-64 (immunoglobulin heavy variable 3-64) were the 5 most significantly dysregulated proteins for both comparisons. Biomarker-based models showed 88% sensitivity and 89% negative predictive value for differentiating IS from ICH, and 75% sensitivity and 95% negative predictive value for differentiating IS from ICH+stroke mimics. ICAM-2, STXBP5, PLGLA, C3, and IGHV3-64 displayed the highest importance score in our models, being the most informative for identifying patients with stroke. Conclusions In this proof-of-concept and exploratory study, our biomarker-based prediction models, including ICAM-2, STXBP5, PLGLA, C3, and IGHV3-64, showed 75% to 88% sensitivity for identifying patients with IS, while aiming to minimize misclassification of ICH. Although our methodology provided an internal validation, these results still need validation in other cohorts and with different measurement techniques.

Sleep seasonality in alpha-synucleinopathies: A comparative study with non-neurological sleep disorder patients.

INTRODUCTION: It is unknown if seasonal variation in daylight affects sleep in patients with alpha-synucleinopathies. Our objectives were to assess month of the year related changes in polysomnography (PSG) data in patients with Parkinson 's disease (PD), Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) and isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). METHODS: We collected PSG data from 64 PD, 30 LBD and 24 iRBD patients attending a sleep laboratory in Lisbon, Portugal, during 10 years. Each was classified according to the month of the year PSG was performed and compared with a control patient with sleep disorder, but no evidence of other neurological disorder, matched for sex, age group and PSG month. The influence of month in PSG data was assessed with mixed linear regression analysis. RESULTS: In alpha-synucleinopathies, month showed significant interaction with N2 stage time and percentage (increase from December to April) and N3 time (peak in May). REM sleep percentage increased significantly from Spring to middle Summer. In the control group, there were significant interactions regarding Total Sleep Time and Sleep Efficiency (drop during wintertime), N2 time and REM % (increase in April and May) and Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) (peak in June). There were significant associations between the term group*month and sleep efficiency and AHI, with larger monthly variation in the control group. CONCLUSION: Seasonality had a larger impact in stage architecture in alpha-synucleinopathies, and in total sleep time, sleep efficiency and the severity of OSA in the control group. Different sleep dysfunction mechanisms could explain differences in seasonal variation.

Clinical pattern and response to treatment of primary stabbing headache: Retrospective case series study from a Portuguese tertiary hospital.

OBJECTIVES: This retrospective case series study aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical patterns of primary stabbing headache (PSH). In addition, we tried to identify subgroups of treatment responses in a neurology outpatient consultation at a Portuguese tertiary hospital. METHODS: Clinical records were retrospectively reviewed and patients meeting the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, criteria for PSH were identified from January 2014 to December 2020. We collected data regarding demographic characteristics, clinical features of the headache, primary headache comorbidities, and information about treatment-related do PSH. RESULTS: Of 1857 patients, 32 (1.7%; mean [SD] age of onset 56 [3.5] years) had the final diagnosis of PSH. Regarding headache characteristics, 20 patients (62.5%) reported episodes of stabbing in fixed locations and 12 (37.5%) in multiple areas; the duration of each attack was between ≤5 s (seven [21.9%]), 5-60 s (20 [62.5%]), and ≥60 s (five [15.6%]). In all, 18 patients (56.3%) had an episodic course (vs. six of 32 [18.8%] an acute course and eight of 32 [25%] a chronic course). In all, 17 patients started medical treatment (53.1%), with total or partial improvement in 10 (58.8%) of them. It was found that patients with pain in fixed locations had a better response to treatment when compared to patients with multiple locations, in a statistically significant way (eight of 11 vs. two of six, p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: In our sample, the mean age of onset of PSH was >50 years and there was a wide range of PSH duration. The duration of each attack (>5 s), the pain in fixed locations, non-daily episodes of the pain in each attack, and the intermittent course of headache were the most prevalent clinical features. Finally, patients with stabbing in localized areas had a better response to treatment.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Other Vascular Risk factors' Impact on Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Previous studies revealed an association between vascular comorbidities and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the severity of motor and cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there is a lack of studies assessing the entire spectrum of non-motor symptoms (NMS). Objective: To investigate the relationship between vascular comorbidities and NMS in PD patients. Methods: Patients were assessed at baseline and 4 years later with the Non-Motor Symptom Assessment Scale, Parkinson's Psychosis Questionnaire, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Apathy scale. After tetrachoric correlation matrix, we conducted linear regression models (adjusted for age, gender, disease duration, and UPDRS-III) to investigate the relationship between vascular comorbidities and NMS. Results: In 73 PD patients, (mean disease duration 7.1 [5.3]), 57% had hypertension, 44% body mass index >25, 44% elevated cholesterol, 15% diabetes mellitus, 15% OSA, 14% cigarette-smoking history, 8% prior stroke, and 8% coronary disease. Cognition, psychotic symptoms, apathy, urinary function, and miscellaneous domains significantly worsened at the 4-year follow-up. OSA was significantly associated with higher severity of hallucinations/illusions at baseline and with a more severe deterioration of attention/memory, psychotic symptoms, and apathetic mood at the 4-year follow-up. At baseline, but not at follow-up, hypertension was negatively associated with miscellaneous domain scores and coronary disease with autonomic function scores (gastrointestinal tract and urinary function domains). Conclusion: Among PD-associated comorbidities, OSA was the main factor of decline. In addition to cognitive impairment, OSA might also potentially worsen psychotic symptoms and apathy. Treatment of OSA could be a strategy to improve these important NMS.

Early Parkinson's Disease Phenotypes Tailored by Personality, Behavior, and Motor Symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies described a parkinsonian personality characterized as rigid, introverted, and cautious; however, little is known about personality traits in de novo Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and their relationships with motor and neuropsychiatric symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To investigate personality in de novo PD and explore its relationship with PD symptoms. METHODS: Using Cloninger's biosocial model, we assessed personality in 193 de novo PD patients. Motor and non-motor symptoms were measured using several validated scales. Cluster analysis was conducted to investigate the interrelationship of personality traits, motor, and non-motor symptoms. RESULTS: PD patients showed low novelty seeking, high harm avoidance, and normal reward dependence and persistence scores. Harm avoidance was positively correlated with the severity of depression, anxiety, and apathy (rs = [0.435, 0.676], p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with quality of life (rs = -0.492, p < 0.001). Novelty seeking, reward dependence, and persistence were negatively correlated with apathy (rs = [-0.274, -0.375], p < 0.001). Classification of patients according to personality and PD symptoms revealed 3 distinct clusters: i) neuropsychiatric phenotype (with high harm avoidance and low novelty seeking, hypodopaminergic neuropsychiatric symptoms and higher impulsivity), ii) motor phenotype (with low novelty seeking and higher motor severity), iii) benign phenotype (with low harm avoidance and high novelty seeking, reward dependence, and persistence traits clustered with lower symptoms severity and low impulsivity). CONCLUSION: Personality in early PD patients allows us to recognize 3 patients' phenotypes. Identification of such subgroups may help to better understand their natural history. Their longitudinal follow-up will allow confirming whether some personality features might influence disease evolution and treatment.

Distinct gait dimensions are modulated by physical activity in Parkinson's disease patients.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurodegenerative disease, but disease-modifying or preventive treatments are lacking. Physical activity is a modifiable factor that decreases the PD risk and improves motor symptoms in PD. Understanding which dimensions of gait performance correlate with physical activity in PD can have important pathophysiological and therapeutic implications. Clinical/demographic data together with physical activity levels were collected from thirty-nine PD patients. Gait analysis was performed wearing seven inertial measurement units on the lower body, reconstructing the subjects' lower body motion using 3D kinematic biomechanical models. Higher physical activity scores were significantly correlated with MDS-UPDRS part III scores (r = - 0.58, p value = 9.2 × 10-5), age (r = - 0.39, p value = 1.5 × 10-2) and quality-of-life (r = - 0.47, p value = 5.9 × 10-3). Physical activity was negatively associated with MDS-UPDRS part III scores after adjusting for age and disease duration (ß = - 0.08530, p value = 0.0010). The effect of physical activity on quality-of-life was mediated by the MDS-UPDRS part III (62.10%, 95% CI = 0.0758-1.78, p value = 0.022). The level of physical activity was correlated primarily with spatiotemporal performance. While spatiotemporal performance displays the strongest association with physical activity, other quality-of-movement dimensions of clinical relevance (e.g., smoothness, rhythmicity) fail to do so. Interventions targeting these ought to be leveraged for performance enhancement in PD through neuroprotective and brain network connectivity strengthening. It remains to be ascertained to which extent these are amenable to modulation.

Progression in Parkinson's Disease: Variation in Motor and Non-motor Symptoms Severity and Predictors of Decline in Cognition, Motor Function, Disability, and Health-Related Quality of Life as Assessed by Two Different Methods.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is multi-symptom disease with variable progression. OBJECTIVES: We performed a longitudinal study to address the evolution of motor symptoms (MS) and non-motor symptoms (NMS), predictors of motor-, cognitive-, disability-, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) status and the relative usefullness of a battery of separate NMS scales (BSS) versus the Non-Motor Symptom Scale (NMSS). METHODS: Seventy-two patients were assessed at baseline and 4 years later with the NMSS and BSS. We assessed the following outcomes: cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale [MoCA]), disability (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part II [UPDRS II], Schwab and England [S&E]), motor dysfunction (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III [UPDRS III], Hoehn and Yahr [HY]), and HRQL (EuroQol [EQ] EQ-vertical visual analogue scale [VAS] and EQ-Index). Statistical analysis included a comparison between scales scores at both time points and multivariate regression analysis to calculate the impact of each baseline symptom in outcomes. NMSS and BSS were introduced in separate models. RESULTS: NMSS Domain 4: perception/hallucinations, Parkinson's Psychosis Questionnaire, Apathy Scale, NMSS Domain 7: urinary, S&E, UPDRS II, HY, and MoCA scores worsened significantly. Dementia increased to a 4-year prevalence of 39.8%. In the multivariate model using BSS, cognitive state variation was significantly predicted by baseline HY, EQ-Index, and S&E. Using the NMSS, MoCA change was significantly associated with NMSS Domain 4: perceptions/hallucination score, cognitive status with UPDRS III score, HRQL with NMSS Domain 4: perception/hallucinations score, and S&E. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that NMS progress heterogeneously, BSS approach being more sensitive to change than NMSS. The multivariate analysis has shown that S&E and NMSS Domain 4: perception/hallucinations scores are the stronger predictors of HRQL and cognitive dysfunction variation, favoring NMSS over the BSS approach.

Long-term effect of apomorphine infusion in advanced Parkinson's disease: a real-life study.

Long-term effects of continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and predictors of CSAI discontinuation are poorly known. Data from consecutive advanced Parkinson's disease patients treated in routine care were retrospectively collected over 24 months after CSAI initiation, with a focus on the 39-item Parkinson's disease questionnaire (PDQ-39). We determined predictors of CSAI discontinuation and HRQoL improvement using multiple regression analysis. Of the 110 subjects evaluated over a 2-year period, 35% discontinued CSAI. Of those who continued treatment, HRQoL remained stable with a sustained reduction in motor fluctuations. The observed effect on dyskinesias was mild and transient. Of note, patients with preexisting impulse control disorders showed an overall good tolerability. PDQ-39 was the only baseline predictor of HRQoL improvement after 2 years of treatment. The presence of dyskinesias, poorer psychological status, shorter disease duration, male sex, and worse OFF state were predictors of discontinuation. Best candidates for CSAI are patients with: (i) poor baseline HRQoL and (ii) marked motor fluctuations.

Polysomnographic predictors of sleep, motor and cognitive dysfunction progression in Parkinson's disease: a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive value of polysomnographic (PSG) data in the prospective assessment of cognitive, motor, daytime and nighttime sleep dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients. METHODS: PD patients were assessed at baseline with video-PSG and with cognitive (MoCA), Sleep (SCOPA-Sleep Nighttime and Daytime scores) and Motor (UPDRSIII) function scales at both baseline and four years later. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the relation between PSG variables at baseline and change in symptoms scores. RESULTS: We included a total of 25 patients, 12 with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) (in 8 PSG was inconclusive, due to lack of REM sleep). MoCA scores decreased significantly at follow-up, while SCOPA-Sleep Daytime and SCOPA-Sleep Nighttime and UPDRSIII did not vary. Lower N3 percentage at baseline was significantly associated with MoCA decrease. Higher Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep index (PLMS) and the presence of RBD were significantly associated with SCOPA daytime score increase. Higher global severity of RBD, tonic RSWA and total number of motor events during REM sleep were associated with SCOPA Nighttime score increase. CONCLUSIONS: The present work suggests that PSG data could be useful for predicting PD cognitive and sleep dysfunction progression. Reduced SWS could predict deterioration of cognitive function, while baseline PLMS could be useful to predict worsening of daytime sleep dysfunction. Severity of RBD could be used for estimating nighttime sleep symptoms progression.

Do dreams tell the future? Dream content as a predictor of cognitive deterioration in Parkinson's disease.

Cross-sectional studies suggest a correlation between alterations in dream content reports and executive dysfunction tests in Parkinson's disease (PD), but this has not been assessed in longitudinal studies. Our objective was to assess the predictive value of dream content for progression of cognitive dysfunction in PD. We prospectively addressed all consecutive, non-demented patients with PD attending an outpatient clinic during a 1-year period. Dream reports were collected at baseline by means of a dream diary and analysed according to the Hall and Van de Castle system. Patients were assessed at baseline for rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, motor stage, mood disorder and psychosis. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was applied at baseline and 4 years later. Linear regression analysis was used to the test the relation between each dream index (predictors), demographic and other motor and non-motor variables (covariates), and change in MoCA scores (dependent variable). In all, 58 patients were assessed at both time points and 23 reported at least one dream (range 1-27, total 148). Aggression, physical activities, and negatively toned content predominated in dream reports. The MoCA scores decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up. In the multivariate model, negative emotion index was the strongest predictor of cognitive decline. We found a significant positive association between negative emotions in dreams at baseline and subsequent reduction in MoCA scores. These findings suggest that some dream content in patients with PD could be considered a predictor of cognitive decline, independent of other factors known to influence either dream content or cognitive deterioration.

REM sleep behaviour disorder in essential tremor: A polysomnographic study.

Our objectives were to assess the prevalence of REM sleep behaviour disorder in patients with Essential Tremor, using video-polysomnography and to compare REM sleep behaviour disorder features in essential tremor with those of patients with alpha-synucleinopathies. Forty-nine patients with essential tremor were screened with the REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder Screening Questionnaire. Patients scoring positive and those with spontaneous complaints of REM sleep behaviour disorder (n = 6) underwent video-polysomnography. The clinical features of essential tremor were compared between patients with and without REM sleep behaviour disorder. Video-polysomnography data were compared between patients who had essential tremor and Parkinson's disease with REM sleep behaviour disorder and those with idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder. Fourteen patients (23.5%) screened positive for REM sleep behaviour disorder, confirmed by video-polysomnography in five (11.6%). All patients with essential tremor and REM sleep behaviour disorder had rest tremor, compared with 13 (34.2%) in the group with essential tremor but without REM sleep behaviour disorder (p = .009). In video-polysomnography, patients with essential tremor and REM sleep behaviour disorder were similar to patients with Parkinson's disease with REM sleep behaviour disorder and presented worse sleep dysfunction and lower severity of REM sleep behaviour disorder compared to those with idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder. We found a high prevalence of REM sleep behaviour disorder in patients with essential tremor, associated with a predominance of rest tremor. Polysomnography data from patients with essential tremor and REM sleep behaviour disorder were similar to those in patients with Parkinson's disease. This suggests a relation between this subgroup of patients with essential tremor and the alpha-synucleinopathies.

Motor and non-motor function predictors of mortality in Parkinson's disease.

Doubts persist regarding the influence of Parkinson's disease (PD) on mortality. Our objective was to assess mortality rates in a prospectively followed cohort of PD patients and the impact of motor and non-motor symptoms in survival. 130 consecutive PD patients were followed during a 4-year period or until death. Baseline assessment included motor function (UPDRSIII, Hoehn and Yahr-HY), incapacity (Schwab and England-S&E, UPDRS II), Health-Related quality of life (EuroQol), non-motor symptoms (Non-Motor Symptom Scale-NMSS, MoCA, REM sleep behavior disorder symptoms questionnaire) and comorbidity burden (Charlson Comorbidity Index-CCI). These were used as predictor variables. Standardized mortality rates (SMR) were calculated, comparing with the general population. The association between mortality and predictors was tested with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models. Overall and gender-related SMRs were similar to the general population. SMR for pneumonia was five times higher than in the general population. Age, disease duration, CCI, EuroQol, dementia, MoCA, S&E, NMSS Hallucinations, HY, and PIGD motor phenotype were significantly associated with mortality. Adjusting for age, gender and disease duration, S&E remained significantly associated with mortality. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, death was significantly associated with disease duration, CCI and NMSS-mood/cognition scores. PD was not associated with an excess of mortality, but conferred a higher probability of dying from pneumonia. Comorbidity was a major determinant, but disease duration, baseline incapacity, cognition, psychosis, mood complaints and HRQL also contributed significantly to mortality.