
Changes in Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Levels May Predate Motor Symptoms in Parkinson Disease
Changes in blood pressure, percentage of red blood cells, and serum cholesterol levels were found to occur in patients with Parkinson disease before the onset of motor symptoms, suggesting potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment.
Changes in blood pressure, percentage of red blood cells, and serum cholesterol levels were found to occur in patients with
PD, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease, is a commonly misdiagnosed condition. In fact, a prior
As the study’s accompanying
"If we can detect biological changes in the patients' bodies well before the onset of the motor symptoms, we can start medical treatments in an early stage," said Masahisa Katsuno, MD, professor in the Department of Neurology at the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, in a
Researchers highlight that little is known about the longitudinal changes in biomarkers at the premotor stage of PD. For spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, a recent
Seeking to expand on these findings, researchers assessed the longitudinal changes in biochemical and anthropometric indices at the premotor stage of PD, in which PwP (n = 55; male, n = 22) and age- and sex-matched healthy subjects’ (n = 120; male, n = 60) health checkup data were collected before and after the onset of motor symptoms.
Utilziing a
After examining the longitudinal changes in the checkup items in PwP before the onset of motor symptoms, female PwP presented with increased blood pressure levels in the premotor stage and male PwP showed a decrease in total and low-density cholesterol levels and hematocrit in the premotor stage.
No other significant changes were observed in the other checkup items, which included height, body weight, body mass index, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, platelet count, aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin, Cr, uric acid, and total protein.
Katsuno noted that future research will be conducted to identify individuals who are at high risk for PD based on health checkup exams. “We are also conducting clinical trials of medication in the individuals who are considered, based on their checkup data, to be at high risk for PD, in an attempt to prevent the development of the disease in them,” he stated.
Reference
Katsuno M, Watanabe H, Hirakawa A, et al. Longitudinal analysis of premotor anthropometric and serological markers of Parkinson disease. Sci Rep. Published online November 25, 2020. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-77415-1
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