Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the sociodemographic features and accompanying neuroimaging findings in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) patients.

Patients and Methods: Socio-demographic features and neuroimaging findings of 31 patients (19 males, 12 females; mean age 61.2±11.7 years; range 44 to 88 years) with IPD were evaluated in this retrospective study. The mean disease duration and lateralization at the onset were recorded. The mean unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS) scores and modified Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) stages of the patients were evaluated.

Results: Of the patients, 54.9% were retired, 38.7% were housewives, 3.2% were officers, and 3.2% were self-employed. Accompanying diseases were hypertension (HT) in 25.8% of the patients, diabetes mellitus (DM) in 9.7%, HT+DM in 6.4%, and coronary artery disease in 3.2%. There was no trauma or family history. Initial symptoms of the disease were resting tremor (51.6%), bradykinesia (25.8%), and rigidity (22.6%), respectively. The mean duration of disease was 5.6±3.9 years. The mean UPDRS score was 37.6±24.2. Of the patients, 35.5% were stage 1.5 according to the modified H-Y staging. Neuroimaging findings were normal in 67.8% of the patients. Generalized atrophy (13%), periventricular ischemic microangiopathic changes (6.4%), lacunar infarcts of basal ganglia (6.4%), widened VirchowRobin spaces localized in basal ganglia (6.4%) were among the findings detected.

Conclusion: Diagnosis of IPD is based on clinical finding. There are no laboratory or imaging methods specific to the disease. However, the importance of neuroimaging techniques in differential diagnosis should be kept in mind.