R. M. A. de Bie

Unilateral pallidotomy versus bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation in PD A randomized trial

Objective: To compare the efficacy of unilateral pallidotomy and bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation in patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD) in a randomized, observer-blind, multicenter trial. Methods: Thirty-four patients with advanced PD were randomly assigned to have unilateral pallidotomy or bilateral STN stimulation. The primary outcome was the change from baseline to 6 months in the motor part of the Unified PD Rating Scale (motor UPDRS) in the off phase. Secondary outcomes were parkinsonian symptoms in the on phase (motor UPDRS), dyskinesias (Clinical Dyskinesia Rating Scale and dyskinesias UPDRS), functional status (activities of daily living UPDRS and Schwab and England scale), PD Quality of Life questionnaire, changes in drug treatment, and adverse effects. Results: The off phase motor UPDRS score improved from 46.5 to 37 points in the group of pallidotomy patients and from 51.5 to 26.5 in the STN stimulation patients (p = 0.002). Of the secondary outcome measures, on phase motor UPDRS and dyskinesias UPDRS improved significantly in favor of the STN stimulation patients. Reduction of antiparkinsonian drugs was greater after STN stimulation than after pallidotomy. One patient in each group had a major adverse effect. Conclusions: Bilateral STN stimulation is more effective than unilateral pallidotomy in reducing parkinsonian symptoms in patients with advanced PD.

Evolution of mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease

Objective: We examined the development of Parkinson disease (PD)–mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients with newly diagnosed PD over 5 years using recently proposed consensus criteria, and we assessed the reliability of the criteria. Methods: Patients with PD (n = 123) underwent extensive neuropsychological testing at baseline and after 3 (n = 93) and 5 years (n = 59). Two neuropsychologists independently applied the PD-MCI criteria to examine the interrater and intrarater reliability. Results: At baseline, 35% of patients had PD-MCI. Three years later, 53% of the patients had PD-MCI. At 5-year follow-up, 20 patients who had PD-MCI at an earlier assessment had converted to PD dementia and 50% of the remaining patients without dementia had MCI. The interrater reliability (kappa) was 0.91. The intrarater reliabilities were 0.85 and 0.96. Conclusion: Approximately one-third of patients with newly diagnosed PD fulfill the consensus criteria for PD-MCI; after 5 years, this proportion is approximately 50% of patients without dementia. The criteria have good interrater and intrarater reliability.

Phenotype in parkinsonian and nonparkinsonian LRRK2 G2019S mutation carriers

Objectives: Using a family study design, we describe the motor and nonmotor phenotype in probands with LRRK2 G2019S mutations and family members and compare these individuals to patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease (iPD) and unrelated controls. Methods: Probands with G2019S mutations and their first-degree relatives, subjects with iPD, and unrelated control subjects were identified from 4 movement disorders centers. All underwent neurologic examinations and tests of olfaction, color vision, anxiety, and depression inventories. Results: Tremor was more often a presenting feature among 25 individuals with LRRK2-associated PD than among 84 individuals with iPD. Subjects with LRRK2-PD had better olfactory identification compared with subjects with iPD, higher Beck Depression Inventory scores, and higher error scores on Farnsworth-Munsell 100-Hue test of color discrimination. Postural or action tremor was more common among 29 nonmanifesting mutation carriers compared with 53 noncarriers within the families. Nonparkinsonian family members had higher Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale motor scores, more constipation, and worse color discrimination than controls, regardless of mutation status. Conclusions: Although tremor is a more common presenting feature of LRRK2-PD than iPD and some nonmotor features differed in degree, the phenotype is largely overlapping. Postural or action tremor may represent an early sign. Longitudinal evaluation of a large sample of nonmanifesting carriers will be required to describe any premotor phenotype that may allow early diagnosis.

Morbidity and mortality following pallidotomy in Parkinson’s disease A systematic review

ObjectiveTo study the frequency of morbidity and mortality associated with pallidotomy. MethodThe authors searched the MEDLINE electronic database for pallidotomy articles reported between January 1992 and December 2000. They selected studies by the following criteria: original clinical data, unequivocal description of morbidity and mortality, and unselected consecutive cases. The authors extracted the following data: number of patients, unilateral or bilateral procedures, age, localization technique, follow-up time, number of patients with adverse effects, number of patients with permanent adverse effects (>3 months), types of adverse effects, and mortality. ResultsFor unilateral pallidotomy, 12 prospective studies included 334 patients. Of these patients, 30.2% (95% CI, 25.3 to 35.2) had adverse effects, and 13.8% (95% CI, 10.1 to 17.5) had permanent adverse effects. A symptomatic infarction or hemorrhage occurred in 3.9% (95% CI, 2.1 to 6.6). The mortality rate was 1.2% (95% CI, 0.3 to 3.0). In the series with microelectrode recording, the frequency of adverse effects was 14.4% (95% CI, 4.7 to 24.1) higher and the frequency of stroke was 4.9% (95% CI, 1.4 to 8.4) higher. The most frequent adverse effects were problems with speech (11.1%) and facial paresis (8.4%). For bilateral pallidotomy, five historical cohort studies including 20 patients were available for review. Fourteen patients had an adverse effect, and the most frequent adverse effects were impairments of speech and cognition. ConclusionsThe risk of permanent adverse effects associated with unilateral pallidotomy was 13.8%. A symptomatic infarction or hemorrhage occurred in 3.9% of patients, and the associated mortality rate was 1.2%.

Prognostic factors of motor impairment, disability, and quality of life in newly diagnosed PD

Objective: In Parkinson disease (PD), the rate of clinical progression is highly variable. To date, there are conflicting findings concerning the prognostic factors influencing the rate of progression. Methodologic issues such as the use of selected patients from therapeutic trials, and short durations of follow-up probably underlie this problem. We therefore designed a prospective follow-up study of a cohort of newly diagnosed patients with PD. Methods: A cohort of 129 patients with newly diagnosed PD was assessed at baseline, and 1, 2, 3, and 5 years later. The rate of progression and its prognostic factors on the level of motor impairments, disability, and quality of life were investigated using linear mixed-model analysis. Results: Annual increase of motor impairments measured with the Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale–Motor Examination was estimated to be 2.46 points (95% confidence interval: 2.05–2.88). The main determinants of faster increase of motor impairments were male sex and cognitive dysfunction at the time of diagnosis. The main determinants of faster increase of disability were higher age at onset, cognitive dysfunction, and the presence of levodopa-nonresponsive motor symptoms at the time of diagnosis. No clinically relevant determinants were found for the decrease in quality of life. Conclusion: This study shows the importance of nondopaminergic symptoms at the time of diagnosis, because these symptoms are the main determinants of increased disability in the first 5 years of the disease.

Outcome of unilateral pallidotomy in advanced Parkinson's disease: cohort study of 32 patients

OBJECTIVES In a randomised trial to study the efficacy of unilateral pallidotomy in patients with advanced Parkinsons disease, patients having pallidotomy within 1 month after randomisation were compared with patients having pallidotomy 6 months after the primary outcome assessment. Of the 37 patients enrolled 32 had a unilateral pallidotomy. The follow up study of these patients is presented to report (1) clinical outcome; (2) adverse effects; (3) cognitive and behavioural effects; (4) relation between lesion location and outcome; and (5) preoperative patient characteristics predictive for good outcome. METHODS Outcome measures were the motor section of the unified Parkinsons disease rating scale (UPDRS), levodopa induced dyskinesias, disability, quality of life, and a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify preoperative patient characteristics independently associated with good outcome. RESULTS Off phase assessment showed a reduction in parkinsonism from 49 to 36.5 points on the UPDRS 6 months after surgery. Improvements were also demonstrated for activities of daily living and quality of life. In the on phase dyskinesias were reduced. All effects lasted up to 12 months after surgery. Three patients had major permanent adverse effects. Besides worsening of verbal fluency after left sided surgery, systematic cognitive deterioration was not detected. Patients taking less than 1000 levodopa equivalent units (LEU)/day were more likely to improve. CONCLUSIONS The positive effects of unilateral pallidotomy are stable up to 1 year after surgery. Patients taking less than 1000 LEU per day were most likely to improve.

Unilateral pallidotomy versus bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson's disease: one year follow-up of a randomised observer-blind multi centre trial

SummaryBackground. To investigate whether STN stimulation is more efficacious than unilateral pallidotomy in advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) one year after surgery. Method. Thirty-four patients with advanced PD were randomly assigned to unilateral pallidotomy or bilateral STN stimulation. Outcome measures were parkinsonian symptoms in off and on phases (UPDRS 3), dyskinesias, functional status, Parkinson’s disease quality of life questionnaire, the effects on separate symptoms, timed tests, patient diaries, dopaminergic drugs changes, adverse effects, and global outcome scale. Patients were assessed before surgery, six months and one year after surgery. The primary outcome measure was the off phase UPDRS 3 at six months follow-up. Findings. The off phase UPDRS 3 score improved from 46.5 to 32 points in the pallidotomy patients and from 51.5 to 24 in the STN stimulation patients (p = 0.002). On phase UPDRS 3 and off phase Schwab and England functional scale improved significantly in favour of the STN stimulation patients. Dopaminergic drugs reduction was larger in the STN group although the difference between the treatment groups was not significant. One patient in each group had a major adverse effect. Conclusions. Bilateral STN stimulation is more efficacious than unilateral pallidotomy in advanced PD up to one year after surgery.

Long-term superiority of subthalamic nucleus stimulation over pallidotomy in Parkinson disease.

The results of our multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing unilateral pallidotomy with bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation in advanced Parkinson disease (PD) demonstrated that STN stimulation is more effective than pallidotomy up to 1 year postoperatively.1,2 Here we present the 4-year follow-up of this trial. ### Methods. Thirty-four patients with advanced PD were randomly assigned to have unilateral pallidotomy or bilateral STN stimulation. Inclusion and exclusion criteria and study methods were described previously.1,2 The 2 assessors were blinded to the treatment allocation during the complete follow-up. For patients allocated to unilateral pallidotomy, the protocol allowed STN stimulation at least 6 months after pallidotomy. Outcome measures were the off and on phase motor Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores,3 dyskinesia severity (Clinical Dyskinesias Rating Scale),4 functional status (activities of daily living [ADL] UPDRS),3 PD Quality of Life questionnaire,5 levodopa equivalent dose,2 and adverse events. Difference in median change scores (4 years follow-up minus baseline) between treatment groups were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis rank test, when …

Transient hiccups after posteroventral pallidotomy for Parkinson’s disease

Hiccup is defined as an abrupt intermittent, involuntary, contraction of the diaphragmatic and external (inspiratory) intercostal muscles, with inhibition of expiratory intercostal activity. This results in a sudden inspiration, abruptly opposed by closure of the glottis.1 Hiccup may result from various structural or functional disorders of the medulla, the afferent or efferent nerves to the respiratory muscles, and the gastrointestinal tract.2 3 Newson Davis performed a study of hiccup with electrophysiological techniques and concluded that hiccup is served by a supraspinal mechanism distinct from that generating rhythmic breathing.3 The principal site of interaction of the hiccup discharge with other descending drives to the respiratory motoneuron is at the spinal level. Neurogenic hiccup is particularly associated with structural lesions of the medulla …