Progressive Decline in Voice and Voice-Related Quality of Life in X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism.

Objective: To characterize the evolution of swallowing and voice in patients with X-linked dystonia parkinsonism (XDP).

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Methods: Retrospective review of 59 patients with XDP from January 2016 to January 2018.

Phasic Knee Bending Dystonic and Parkinsonian Gait: A Characteristic Finding in X-Linked Dystonia Parkinsonism.

Background: X-linked dystonia parkinsonism (XDP) is a rare disorder characterized by adult-onset, progressive dystonia that, over time, is combined with or replaced by features of parkinsonism. Gait impairment is common.

Methods: Case series of 4 patients with a unique gait disorder.

Voice and swallowing dysfunction in X-linked dystonia parkinsonism.

Objectives: To systematically characterize and describe voice and swallowing manifestations in patients with X-linked dystonia parkinsonism (XDP) and correlate with quality-of-life (QOL) measures.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with XDP with communication and swallowing difficulties underwent neurological examination, head and neck examination, nasopharyngoscopy, QOL surveys (Swallowing Quality of Life questionnaire [SWAL-QOL] and Voice Handicap Index [VHI]), and functional endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) to assess the extent of dysfunction.

Results: All patients showed high rates of lingual, oromandibular, and laryngeal dysfunction, as well as severe QOL changes in swallowing and communication ability.

Validation of the XDP-MDSP rating scale for the evaluation of patients with X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism.

X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism(XDP) is a neurodegenerative disorder endemic to the Philippines. A rating scale was developed by the authors under the guidance of the Movement Disorder Society of the Philippines (MDSP) to assess XDP severity and progression, functional impact, and response to treatment in future clinical trials. Our main objective was to validate our new scale, the XDP-MDSP scale.

Sonographic alteration of substantia nigra is related to parkinsonism-predominant course of X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism.

Introduction: X-linked recessive dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP, DYT3) is highly prevalent in the Philippines and manifests with varying phenotype. We sought to evaluate the significance of transcranial brain sonography as a biomarker for parkinsonism-predominant phenotype.

Methods: 90 Filipino participants were enrolled into a cross-sectional study: 39 patients with XDP, 21 asymptomatic first-degree relatives of XDP patients, and 30 healthy control subjects.

Deep brain stimulation may improve quality of life in people with Parkinson's disease without affecting caregiver burden.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the influence of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on caregiver burden and quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study utilizing the National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative clinical study was conducted. A group of 275 patients who had undergone DBS for Parkinson's disease were extracted from 2916 subjects who were included in this data base.

Assessment of substantia nigra echogenicity in German and Filipino populations using a portable ultrasound system.

Objectives: Transcranial sonography of the substantia nigra for diagnosing premotor stages of Parkinson disease has been attracting increasing interest. Standard reference values defining an abnormal increased echogenic size (hyperechogenicity) of the substantia nigra have been established in several populations using high-end stationary ultrasound systems. It is unknown whether a portable ultrasound system can be appropriately used and how the Filipino population would compare with the well-studied white population.

Nonmotor manifestations in Parkinson disease.

Background: Although the diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) still relies mainly on the appearance of its classical motor features of resting tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, nonmotor manifestations in PD are now recognized as an integral component of this multisystem disorder.

Review Summary: Nonmotor complications in PD occur commonly. The current understanding of cognitive dysfunction; neuropsychiatric manifestations including psychosis, impulsive control, and compulsive disorders, depression, anxiety and apathy; autonomic complications such as hypotension, erectile dysfunction, and urinary complications; sleep disorders and other nonmotor manifestations are summarized in this review.

Generic versus branded pharmacotherapy in Parkinson's disease: does it matter? A review.

There is an ongoing debate about generic drug use for a multitude of conditions including epilepsy, psychosis, hypertension, post-organ transplantation, and several infectious diseases. Most of the concerns involve drugs with narrow therapeutic indices. There is a heightened attention to health care costs and macroeconomic policy as well as microeconomic business decisions that may impact the use of generic drugs.

Untreated depressive symptoms among cognitively-intact, community dwelling Filipino patients with Parkinson disease.

The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its correlation with the quality of life among cognitively intact, community dwelling Filipino patients with Parkinson disease (PD) not treated pharmacologically for depression. In this prospective, cross-sectional study 76 PD patients were included. Demographic data were obtained including: age, gender, onset of disease, disease duration, and medication intake.

The current prevalence and factors associated with tardive dyskinesia among Filipino schizophrenic patients.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and the factors associated with tardive dyskinesia (TD) among Filipino patients with schizophrenia admitted at the National Center for Mental Health.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: A total of 227 inpatients fulfilling the DSM-IV TR criteria for schizophrenia participated in the study.