Ultrasonographic (TCS) and clinical findings in overlapping phenotype of essential tremor and Parkinson's disease (ET-PD).
BMC Neurol
; 14: 54, 2014 Mar 22.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24655437
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are considered distinct disorders. The aim of the study was to look for a link or any distinguishing features by transcranial sonography (TCS), together with the clinical examination findings in a group of patients with overlapping phenotype of ET and PD (ET-PD).METHODS:
A prospective observational case-control study was carried out from the 3rd January 2011 until 30th January 2013 at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. The final study group consisted of 15 patients with ET-PD, 116 patients with ET-only and 141 patients with PD-only. The control group included 101 subjects. Clinical diagnosis was of a diagnostic standard.RESULTS:
The main ultrasonographic findings in the ET-PD group were similar to those of the PD-only hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (66.7%, p < 0.001) and nuclei raphe interruptions/absence (38.5%, p < 0.001). The single distinguishing TCS finding in ET-PD group was a lentiform nucleus hyperechogenicity (26.7%), however this was only significant when compared to controls (p = 0.006). An asymmetrical onset of symptoms (73.3%) in ET-PD group was characteristic to PD-only. The ET-PD patients had the longest disease duration (median 6 years, p < 0.001), the most frequent rate of positive family history (53.3%, p = 0.005), rather low prevalence of cogwheel rigidity (26.7%, p < 0.001), and higher mean Hoehn & Yahr scores compared to PD-only (2.6 ± 0.8 vs. 1.8 ± 0.8, p = 0.012).CONCLUSIONS:
The main TCS findings of the present study in patients with overlapping ET-PD phenotype were similar to the PD-only group. The highest positive family history rate among ET-PD patients indicates a strong hereditary predisposition and needs genetic underpinnings. Some ET patients, who look like they may be developing co-morbid PD clinically, may have an alternative diagnosis for Parkinsonism, which could be delineated by TCS examination.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Doença de Parkinson
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Encéfalo
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Tremor Essencial
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
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Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMC Neurol
Assunto da revista:
NEUROLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Lituânia