Citation

Tekin I, Vgontzas A, Lewis MM, Kothari S, Kong L, Lu Y, Vrana KE, Huang X. J. Neurol. Neurobiol. 2015; 1(3): e109.

Affiliation

Department of Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Department of Neurology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Department of Radiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Sci Forschen)

DOI

10.16966/2379-7150.109

PMID

26937489

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) motor symptoms are frequently asymmetric and the factors that influence the side of onset are unclear.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether peripheral injury and associated chronic limb pain may influence the side of onset.

METHODS: We administered a questionnaire to 128 PD patients in a tertiary movement disorder clinic. Handedness, date and type of limb injury(s) and duration of associated pain, and date and side of onset were ascertained.

RESULTS: Sixty-two subjects reported limb injuries prior to the onset of PD symptoms, 30 with and 32 without chronic pain (i.e., ≥ 2 months). There was no association between injury and PD onset side overall (p=0.334). In subjects with chronic pain associated with limb injuries, however, side of injuries was associated with the side of PD symptom onset (p=0.030).

CONCLUSIONS: Limb injury with chronic pain may be related to the side of PD symptom onset. Future studies may shed light on the nature of this observation.

Language: en