Factors associated with mortality in early stages of parkinsonism.

Prognosis of patients with parkinsonism varies greatly between the various parkinsonian syndromes. However, it is often difficult to distinguish the different forms, particularly in early stages. We examined predictors of mortality and functional outcome in patients with recent-onset parkinsonism with an initially uncertain diagnosis (n = 156).

Identification of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for parkinsonism using a proteomics approach.

The aim of our study was to investigate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tryptic peptide profiles as potential diagnostic biomarkers for the discrimination of parkinsonian disorders. CSF samples were collected from individuals with parkinsonism, who had an uncertain diagnosis at the time of inclusion and who were followed for up to 12 years in a longitudinal study. We performed shotgun proteomics to identify tryptic peptides in CSF of Parkinson's disease (PD, n = 10), multiple system atrophy patients (MSA, n = 5) and non-neurological controls (n = 10).

Peripheral decarboxylase inhibitors paradoxically induce aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.

Peripheral decarboxylase inhibitors (PDIs) prevent conversion of levodopa to dopamine in the blood by the enzyme aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). Alterations in enzyme activity may contribute to the required higher dosages of levodopa observed in many patients with Parkinson's disease. We evaluated the effect of levodopa/PDI use on serum AADC enzyme activity.

Cerebrospinal fluid monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 correlates with progression of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) have overlapping symptoms, challenging a correct early diagnosis. Prognostic information is needed to predict disease progression and provide appropriate counseling. Neuroinflammation plays a role in the pathology of both disorders, as shown in genetic and postmortem tissue studies.

Cerebrospinal fluid myelin basic protein is elevated in multiple system atrophy.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) have overlapping symptoms, challenging an early diagnosis. Diagnostic accuracy is important because PD and MSA have a different prognosis and response to treatment. Here, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of brain-specific structural proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of PD and MSA patients, as well as their association with cognitive decline.

Rationale and design of the PRAETORIAN-COVID trial: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial with valsartan for PRevention of Acute rEspiraTORy dIstress syndrome in hospitAlized patieNts with SARS-COV-2 Infection Disease.

There is much debate on the use of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected patients. Although it has been suggested that ARBs might lead to a higher susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, experimental data suggest that ARBs may reduce acute lung injury via blocking angiotensin-II-mediated pulmonary permeability, inflammation, and fibrosis. However, despite these hypotheses, specific studies on ARBs in SARS-CoV-2 patients are lacking.

Inflammation biomarker discovery in Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonisms.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonisms (APD) have overlapping symptoms challenging an early diagnosis. Diagnostic accuracy is important because PD and APD have different prognosis and response to treatment. We aimed to identify diagnostic inflammatory biomarkers of PD and APD in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using the multiplex proximity extension assay (PEA) technology and to study possible correlations of biomarkers with disease progression.

Serum NFL discriminates Parkinson disease from atypical parkinsonisms.

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of serum neurofilament light chain (NFL) in patients with clear signs of parkinsonism but whose specific diagnosis was yet uncertain.

Methods: Serum samples were collected from patients with clear signs of parkinsonism but with uncertain diagnosis at the inclusion. Clinical diagnoses of Parkinson disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonism disorders (APDs) were established after 3 years of follow-up and updated again after a maximum of 12 years in case longer follow-up data were available.

α-Synuclein real-time quaking-induced conversion in the cerebrospinal fluid of uncertain cases of parkinsonism.

A reliable biomarker is needed for accurate and early differentiation between Parkinson disease and the various forms of atypical parkinsonism. We used a novel real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to detect α-synuclein (α-syn) aggregates in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 118 patients with parkinsonism of uncertain clinical etiology and 52 controls. Diagnostic accuracy to distinguish α-synucleinopathies from non-α-synucleinopathies and controls was 84% (sensitivity = 75%, specificity = 94%, area under the curve = 0.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Galectin-1 Levels Discriminate Patients with Parkinsonism from Controls.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in elderly people. Currently, the diagnosis of PD is based on neurological examination, neuroimaging, and the response to dopaminergic medication. The diagnosis can be challenging, especially at early disease stages, when the symptoms of patients with atypical parkinsonism (APD) may strongly overlap.

Parkinson's Disease Diagnostic Observations (PADDO): study rationale and design of a prospective cohort study for early differentiation of parkinsonism.

Background: Differentiation of Parkinson's disease (PD) from the various types of atypical parkinsonism (AP) such as multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and vascular parkinsonism (VP), can be challenging, especially early in the disease course when symptoms overlap. A major unmet need in the diagnostic workup of these disorders is a diagnostic tool that differentiates the various disorders, preferably in the earliest disease stages when the clinical presentation is similar. Many diagnostic tests have been evaluated, but their added value was studied mostly in retrospective case-control studies that included patients with a straightforward clinical diagnosis.

Clinical correlates of cerebral white matter abnormalities in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To determine if autonomic dysfunction, cognitive disorders or axial disability are associated with white matter lesions (WML) in Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional review study on 204 consecutive PD patients who underwent cerebral MRI in our center between January 2012 and July 2016. For each patient, we scored the severity of WML and PV (periventricular) WML using the Fazekas score and using the ARWMC scale for WML and BG (basal ganglia) and clinical characteristics such as neurogenic orthostatic hypotension and cognitive function.

Biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid for synucleinopathies, tauopathies, and other neurodegenerative disorders.

The incidence of neurodegenerative disorders is increasing due to worldwide population aging. In general, sporadic forms account for 90% of total cases with neurodegenerative disorders and the reasons underlying initiation or progression of these diseases remain unknown for almost all disorders. To date, diagnosis is mainly based on clinical symptoms and neuroimaging, which is in many cases insufficient due to overlap in clinical symptoms among several neurodegenerative disorders.

Pulsatile Proptosis due to Intraorbital Meningocele.

We present a case of a 79-year-old man with a non-symptomatic pulsatile proptosis of the left eye. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a meningocele into the left orbit due to an osseous defect in the orbital roof.

MicroRNAs in Cerebrospinal Fluid as Potential Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease and Multiple System Atrophy.

Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) are both part of the spectrum of neurodegenerative movement disorders and α-synucleinopathies with overlap of symptoms especially at early stages of the disease but with distinct disease progression and responses to dopaminergic treatment. Therefore, having biomarkers that specifically classify patients, which could discriminate PD from MSA, would be very useful. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate protein translation and are observed in biological fluids, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and may therefore have potential as biomarkers of disease.

Nigrosome-1 on Susceptibility Weighted Imaging to Differentiate Parkinson's Disease From Atypical Parkinsonism: An In Vivo and Ex Vivo Pilot Study.

Background: Previous case-control studies have suggested that the absence of a swallow-tail appearance in the substantia nigra on high-resolution SWI, representing nigrosome-1, has high accuracy to identify Parkinson's disease (PD). The first goal of our study was to evaluate nigrosome-1 ex vivo using optimized high-resolution susceptibility sensitive MRI. Our second goal was to evaluate its diagnostic value in vivo using a clinical 3T SWI sequence to differentiate between PD and atypical parkinsonism (AP) in a cohort of patients with early-stage parkinsonism.

Conventional 3T brain MRI and diffusion tensor imaging in the diagnostic workup of early stage parkinsonism.

Introduction: The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the diagnostic accuracy of 3 T brain MRI is improved by region of interest (ROI) measures of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to differentiate between neurodegenerative atypical parkinsonism (AP) and Parkinson's disease (PD) in early stage parkinsonism.

Methods: We performed a prospective observational cohort study of 60 patients presenting with early stage parkinsonism and initial uncertain diagnosis. At baseline, patients underwent a 3 T brain MRI including DTI.

Perspectives on Parkinson disease care in Dutch nursing homes.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex and disabling disorder. Ultimately, 20% to 40% of patients are admitted to a nursing home, and neurologists often lose track of these patients. Care and treatment of these institutionalized patients have not been addressed comprehensively, but anecdotal reports suggest it is suboptimal.