Neuroendocrinology Letters Volume 36 No. 4 2015 ISSN: 0172-780X; ISSN-L: 0172-780X; Electronic/Online ISSN: 2354-4716 Web of Knowledge / Web of Science: Neuroendocrinol Lett Pub Med / Medline: Neuro Endocrinol Lett

Peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson’s disease Zuzana Grambalová, Michaela Kaiserová, Miroslav Vaštík, Kateřina Menšíková, Pavel Otruba, Jana Zapletalová, Jaroslav Dufek, Petr Kaňovský

Correspondence to:

Zuzana Grambalová Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, and University Hospital Olomouc Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases Olomouc, Czech Republic. e-mail: [email protected]

Submitted: 2015-07-26 Key words:

Accepted: 2015-09-03

Published online: 2015-09-28

Parkinson’s disease; polyneuropathy; electromyography

Neuroendocrinol Lett 2015; 36(4):363–367 PMID: 26454492

Abstract

NEL360415A97 © 2015 Neuroendocrinology Letters • www.nel.edu

INTRODUCTION Involvement of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is relatively common in some neurodegenerative proteinopathies of the brain and may be pathogenetically and diagnostically important. In PD, neuronal α-synukleinaggregates are redistributed throughout the nervous system, including the central nervous system, sympathetic ganglia, enteric nervous system, cardiac and pelvic plexuses, submandibular gland, adrenal medulla, and skin.

The pathological process may target the PNS and CNS at the same time (Wakabayashi et al. 2010). The aim of our study is to verify the increased frequency of PN in a group of PD patients as compared to an age-matched group of controls.

PATIENTS AND METHODS The study protocol, including electromyography (EMG) examination, was approved by the Ethics Committee of Palacky University in Olomouc. All To cite this article: Neuroendocrinol Lett 2015; 36(4):363–367

A R T I C L E

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest an increased frequency of peripheral neuropathy (PN) in Parkinson’s disease patients (PD) (Toth et al. 2010). The aim of our study is to verify the increased frequency of PN in our group of PD patients compared to an age-matched control group. We sorted patients according to the duration of L-DOPA treatment, L-DOPA dosage, and age below or over 50 years. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted electromyography examinations (using conduction studies and needle electromyography) of 49 PD patients with asymptomatic polyneuropathy and 40 controls. Patients without risk factors for PN were included (fasting blood was analyzed to rule out possible causes of PN), as were relatively healthy controls without risk factors for PN. PN was defined using the American Academy of Neurology and Electrodiagnostic Medicine criteria (England et al. 2005). CONCLUSION: The frequency of polyneuropathy was significantly higher in PD patients than in controls (45% versus 2%, p