Comparative analysis of non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's Disease and atypical parkinsonisms

Objectives: After being diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (IPD) or Atypical Parkinsonism (AP) patients often tend to present non-motor symptoms (NMS). The aim of the study was to explore the differences between occurrence of non-motor symptoms presented by patients with IPD and AP, including sleep, autonomic, psychotic and affective disorders. Materials and method: The study included 219 patients (184 with IPD, and 35 with AP) hospitalized between 2016 and 2019 in the Department of Neurology of the Medical University of Silesia. Non-motor symptoms were evaluated using patients' medical chart reviews and NMS questionnaire. The clinical advancement of the disease was assessed using UPDRS part III, and modified Hoehn-Yahr scale (HY). Results: There were no statistically significant differences between both IPD and AP groups within the parameters of sex, age, HY and UPDRS III OFF scales. Non-motor symptoms were presented significantly often (p = 0.003) in AP patients (n = 32, 91.4 %), then in patients with IPD (n = 122, 66.3 %). Sleep disorders were significantly more prevalent in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (n = 92, 50 %) than in patients with atypical parkinsonism (n = 8, 22.86 %, p = 0.0031). However, autonomic and psychotic disorders didn't show statistically significant differences in both groups. Conclusion: Non-motor symptoms are frequent in both IPD and AP which makes them an integral part of both diseases. Patients with AP are more likely to present non-motor symptoms in general, but rarely they complain of sleep disorders.