Parkinson Disease

Adverse effects such as OFF periods, falls, and tremor were found to be prominent in patients with late stage Parkinson disease, signaling the potential failure of current treatments to consistently and effectively address these symptoms as the disease progresses, according to study findings.

There are a growing number of innovations within treatment of OFF periods in Parkinson disease that seek to address this unmet need in patient care, said Stewart Factor, DO, professor of Neurology and director of the Movement Disorders Program at the Emory University School of Medicine.

Based on findings of a study conducted by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research, the individual annual economic burden for a patient with Parkinson disease amounted to $52,000 in 2017, with nonacute institutional care, inpatient hospitalization, and outpatient care indicated as the largest drivers of cost among differing coverage plans.

Researchers uncovered the amount of variance among interrelated Parkinson disease (PD) motor, neuropsychiatric, and cognitive symptoms, which may improve understanding into the pathophysiology of PD, according to study findings published in Human Brain Mapping.

According to study findings, continuous duodenal levodopa/carbidopa infusion was indicated as the most expensive second-line therapy in advanced stage Parkinson disease compared with deep brain stimulation and continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion.

Presented at Virtual ISPOR 2020, researchers examined the efficacy of a machine learning approach in detecting predictors of Parkinson disease (PD), with an additional study testing the use of a statistical model to predict severity of PD.

In 2 abstracts presented at the Virtual ISPOR 2020 meeting, researchers discuss how “OFF” episodes among patients with Parkinson disease may contribute to an increased degree of burden for respective caregivers, with patient preferred on-demand treatments for these episodes also detailed.

This week, the top managed care news included testimony on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic; a rare inflammatory disease emerging in children with COVID-19; a novel cell replacement treatment shows promise in Parkinson disease.

A novel treatment that reprogrammed the skin cells of a single patient with Parkinson disease (PD) to replace cells in the brain improved symptoms over 24 months, according to a study published Wednesday, although researchers cautioned that a longer, more diverse clinical trial is needed to demonstrate results.

Improvements observed through CVT-301 treatment in motor scores measured by part 3 of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale were associated with improved scores in activities of daily living for patients with Parkinson disease, according to findings presented in an abstract.

This week, the top managed care news included FDA grants emergency use authorization to COVID-19 treatment; dapagliflozin’s new approval breaks ground in SGLT2 competition; and AJMC® gets an inside look at how The Michael J. Fox Foundation is assisting the Parkinson community during the pandemic.

Levels of caffeine consumption and lower blood urate were both inversely associated with the risk of Parkinson disease, highlighting the benefit derived from sufficient levels of both components, according to study findings.

Although men with moderate lifetime alcohol consumption were at higher risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD) compared with light drinkers, no significant link was found between alcohol consumption and risk of PD, according to study findings.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation has implemented a variety of resources for people with and without Parkinson disease to address emerging issues precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Rachel Dolhun, MD, vice president of Medical Communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research.

In an opinion article published in JAMA Neurology, researchers discuss how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has transformed neurologic care more than any other crisis in modern history.

In a set of updated guidelines issued for general neurologists managing patients with Parkinson disease (PD), researchers note the significance of efficient communication with members of a healthcare team specialized in movement disorders as they may assist in identifying and resolving common issues, especially among those with advanced PD.

Researchers found that signs of autoimmunity can appear in Parkinson disease years before an official diagnosis, which may allow for heightened detection before symptom onset and greater preventive measures to slow disease progression.

Korean patients with Parkinson disease were found to be at greater risk of developing skin cancer, with male and older populations considered higher-risk groups, according to study findings published this week.

Physical exercise has been shown in previous studies to improve motor symptoms and quality of life in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). However, as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) proves a significant threat to those with chronic diseases such as PD, many patients are now tasked with adapting to the physical and mental effects of the pandemic.

New research suggests that living near major roads or highways is associated with incidence of non-Alzheimer dementia, Parkinson disease (PD), Alzheimer disease (AD), and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Parkinson disease (PD) subtypes derived from a novel subtyping system were significantly linked with disease duration and severity. However, the system may solely reflect stages of PD, rather than identify distinct clinical subtypes.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy via telephone was shown to be an effective depression intervention in patients with Parkinson disease, which may lead to greater access of care for patients with this unmet need, according to study findings published today.

Long-term usage of immediate-release isradipine for treatment of Parkinson disease (PD) did not exhibit an effect on slowing the clinical progression of early-stage PD, according to study findings published today.

Patients with certain inflammatory and senescence markers appeared to progress more quickly in their Parkinson disease, according to new research.

A special, noncontact boxing program was shown to potentially improve quality-of-life (QOL) and likelihood of exercise among patients with Parkinson disease compared with those who did not participate, according to preliminary study findings originally to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 72nd Annual Meeting.

Changes in brain tissue iron relate to poorer cognition in Parkinson disease, according to a recent study.

Patients with Parkinson disease were found to be more likely to experience vision and eye issues, such as blurry vision, dry eyes, trouble with depth perception, and problems adjusting to rapid changes in light, compared with people without the disorder, according to study findings.

A recent study aiming to evaluate the impact of motor and non-motor wearing-off—a common phenomenon in Parkinson disease (PD)—found that the fluctuations have an impact on the activities of daily living and quality of life, with non-motor wearing-off having the greater impact.

In individuals with mild to moderate Parkinson disease, Tai Chi was shown to be a potentially effective meditation technique that may slow down disease progression, according to study findings.

In a preliminary study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 72nd Annual Meeting, researchers found that patients with Parkinson disease who participated in a table tennis exercise program once a week for 6 months exhibited an improvement in their motor skills.