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

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 31(1); 2013 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2013;31(1): 8-14.

한국인 파킨슨 환자에서 비운동증상의 빈도와 특성과 대체의학 이용경험과의 관련성

김지영, 김한준 전범석

인제대학교 의과대학 서울백병원 신경과, 서울대학교 의과대학 서울대학교병원 신경과

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

Ji-Young Kim

Department of Neurology, Inje University Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Department of Neurology a , Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

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. Alternative therapies, Nonmotor symptoms, Nonmotor symptoms questionnaire, Parkinson‘s disease