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Corrà MF, Vila-Chã N, Sardoeira A, Hansen C, Sousa AP, Reis I, Sambayeta F, Damásio J, Calejo M, Schicketmueller A, Laranjinha I, Salgado P, Taipa R, Magalhães R, Correia M, Maetzler W, Maia LF. Peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson's disease: prevalence and functional impact on gait and balance. Brain 2022; 146:225-236. [PMID: 35088837 PMCID: PMC9825570 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Peripheral neuropathy is a common problem in patients with Parkinson's disease. Peripheral neuropathy's prevalence in Parkinson's disease varies between 4.8-55%, compared with 9% in the general population. It remains unclear whether peripheral neuropathy leads to decreased motor performance in Parkinson's disease, resulting in impaired mobility and increased balance deficits. We aimed to determine the prevalence and type of peripheral neuropathy in Parkinson's disease patients and evaluate its functional impact on gait and balance. A cohort of consecutive Parkinson's disease patients assessed by movement disorders specialists based on the UK Brain Bank criteria underwent clinical, neurophysiological (nerve conduction studies and quantitative sensory testing) and neuropathological (intraepidermal nerve fibre density in skin biopsy punches) evaluation to characterize the peripheral neuropathy type and aetiology using a cross-sectional design. Gait and balance were characterized using wearable health-technology in OFF and ON medication states, and the main parameters were extracted using validated algorithms. A total of 99 Parkinson's disease participants with a mean age of 67.2 (±10) years and mean disease duration of 6.5 (±5) years were assessed. Based on a comprehensive clinical, neurophysiological and neuropathological evaluation, we found that 40.4% of Parkinson's disease patients presented peripheral neuropathy, with a predominance of small fibre neuropathy (70% of the group). In the OFF state, the presence of peripheral neuropathy was significantly associated with shorter stride length (P = 0.029), slower gait speed (P = 0.005) and smaller toe-off angles (P = 0.002) during straight walking; significantly slower speed (P = 0.019) and smaller toe-off angles (P = 0.007) were also observed during circular walking. In the ON state, the above effects remained, albeit moderately reduced. With regard to balance, significant differences between Parkinson's disease patients with and without peripheral neuropathy were observed in the OFF medication state during stance with closed eyes on a foam surface. In the ON states, these differences were no longer observable. We showed that peripheral neuropathy is common in Parkinson's disease and influences gait and balance parameters, as measured with mobile health-technology. Our study supports that peripheral neuropathy recognition and directed treatment should be pursued in order to improve gait in Parkinson's disease patients and minimize balance-related disability, targeting individualized medical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Francisca Corrà
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal,Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal,Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3s), University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vila-Chã
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Sardoeira
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Clint Hansen
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Ana Paula Sousa
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Inês Reis
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Firmina Sambayeta
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Damásio
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Margarida Calejo
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Andreas Schicketmueller
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Research Campus STIMULATE, University of Magdeburg, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany,HASOMED GmbH, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Inês Laranjinha
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Salgado
- Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Taipa
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal,Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Magalhães
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal,Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Manuel Correia
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal,Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), 4099-001 Porto, Portugal
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurology, Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Luís F Maia
- Correspondence to: Luís F. Maia Department of Neurology Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto (CHUPorto) Largo do Prof. Abel Salazar, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal E-mail:
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