Subthalamic Stimulation Improves Short-Term Satisfaction with Life and Treatment in Parkinson's Disease.

The effect of subthalamic stimulation (STN-DBS) on patients' personal satisfaction with life and their Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment is understudied, as is its correlation with quality of life (QoL). Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that STN-DBS for PD enhances satisfaction with life and treatment. In a prospective, multicenter study with a 6-month follow-up involving 121 patients, we measured the main outcomes using the Satisfaction with Life and Treatment Scale (SLTS-7).

Addressing the Ethnicity Gap in Catechol O-Methyl Transferase Inhibitor Trials in Parkinson's Disease: A Review of Available Global Data.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors (COMT-Is) have significantly improved the quality of life and symptom management for those at advanced stages of Parkinson's Disease (PD). Given that PD is one of the fastest-growing neurodegenerative diseases worldwide, there is a need to establish a clear framework for the systematic distribution of COMT-Is, considering inter-individual and intra-individual variations in patient response. One major barrier to this is the underrepresentation of ethnic minority participants in clinical trials investigating COMT-Is.

Validation Study of the Parkinson's Disease Stigma Questionnaire (PDStigmaQuest).

Background: Stigma is a relevant aspect of Parkinson's disease (PD). Specific stigma tools are needed to address the complex construct of stigma in PD comprehensively.

Objective: To test the dimensionality and psychometric properties of the newly developed Parkinson's Disease Stigma Questionnaire (PDStigmaQuest).

Predictors of short-term anxiety outcome in subthalamic stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

The effects of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on anxiety in Parkinson's disease (PD) are understudied. We identified clinical predictors of STN-DBS effects on anxiety in this study. In this prospective, open-label, multicentre study, we assessed patients with anxiety undergoing STN-DBS for PD preoperatively and at 6-month follow-up postoperatively.

Neurostimulation for Advanced Parkinson Disease and Quality of Life at 5 Years: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

Importance: Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) improves quality of life (QOL) in patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD). However, controlled studies with more than 3 years of follow-up are lacking.

Objective: To investigate the long-term effects of STN-DBS on QOL compared with standard-of-care medication (MED).

Stratifying quality of life outcome in subthalamic stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

Background: Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) improves quality of life (QoL), motor and non-motor symptoms (NMS). However, in previous studies, 43%-49% of patients did not experience clinically relevant postoperative QoL improvement. To inform individualised prediction of postoperative QoL improvement, we developed a stratification analysis of QoL outcomes based on preoperative non-motor total burden, severity of motor progression and motor response in levodopa challenge tests.

[Intercultural adaptation of the PUKSoPC in German language : A scale for perceived control in patients with Parkinson's disease].

Background: The level of perceived control in people with Parkinson's disease plays a significant role in affecting their quality of life. Simpson et al. developed a scale of perceived control specific to Parkinson's disease called the Parkinson's UK Scale of Perceived Control (PUKSoPC).

The Park Sleep subtype in Parkinson's disease: from concept to clinic.

Introduction: The heterogeneity of Parkinson's disease (PD) is evident from descriptions of non-motor (NMS) subtypes and Park Sleep, originally identified by Sauerbier et al. 2016, is one such clinical subtype associated with the predominant clinical presentation of sleep dysfunctions including excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), along with insomnia.

Areas Covered: A literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases, accessed between 1 February 2023 and 28 March 2023.

SOP: acute hyperkinetic movement disorders.

Introduction: Movement disorders emergencies describe acute-onset neurological conditions in which a delay of recognition and treatment may cause severe morbidity and mortality of patients. Hyperkinetic movement disorders include tremor, chorea/ballism, dystonia, myoclonus, and tics. Here we present a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the diagnostic work-up and different treatment options depending on the phenomenology as well as the aetiology of underlying diseases.

Gender differences in referrals for deep brain stimulation for essential tremor.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for essential tremor (ET). Gender differences in DBS have been recognized for Parkinson's disease. In this systematic chart review, we also observed a gender differences in DBS for ET.

Parkinson's Disease Stigma Questionnaire (PDStigmaQuest): Development and Pilot Study of a Questionnaire for Stigma in Patients with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Stigma is significant in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no specific tool is available to assess stigma in PD comprehensively.

Objective: This pilot study aimed to develop and test a stigma questionnaire specific to PD patients (PDStigmaQuest).

Non-motor effects of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease motor subtypes.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) improving quality of life, motor, and non-motor symptoms. However, non-motor effects in PD subtypes are understudied. We hypothesized that patients with 'postural instability and gait difficulty' (PIGD) experience more beneficial non-motor effects than 'tremor-dominant' patients undergoing DBS for PD.

COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among people with chronic neurological disorders: A position paper.

Background And Purpose: Health risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection are undisputed. Moreover, the capability of vaccination to prevent symptomatic, severe, and fatal COVID-19 is recognized. There is also early evidence that vaccination can reduce the chance for long COVID-19.

Gender gap in deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

Previous studies have shown less access to deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) in women compared to men raising concerns about a potential gender gap resulting from nonclinical factors or gender differences in clinical efficacy for postoperative quality of life (QoL), motor, and nonmotor symptoms (NMS) outcomes. This was a cross-sectional and a longitudinal, prospective, observational, controlled, quasi-experimental, international multicenter study. A total sample size of 505 consisted of 316 consecutively referred patients for DBS indication evaluation at the University Hospital Cologne (01/2015-09/2020) and 189 consecutively treated patients at DBS centers in the University Hospitals Cologne and Marburg, Salford's Royal Hospital Manchester, and King's College Hospital London.

Ethnic Disparities in Treatment of Chronic Pain in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease Living in the United Kingdom.

Background: Over 80% people with Parkinson's disease (PD; PwP) live with chronic pain.

Objective: Whether ethnic disparities in receipt of appropriate analgesia exist among PwP with chronic pain living in the United Kingdom (UK).

Methods: A retrospective datamining of an existing King's PD Pain Questionnaire validation study dataset enrolling 300 PwP.

The New Satisfaction with Life and Treatment Scale (SLTS-7) in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: The satisfaction with life and, in particular, with treatment in Parkinson's disease (PD) is understudied.

Objective: To explore a new 7-item rating tool assessing satisfaction with life and treatment (SLTS-7) in PD.

Methods: In this cross-sectional, multi-center study, including patients screened for advanced therapies, psychometric characteristics of the SLTS-7 were analyzed.

Predictors of short-term impulsive and compulsive behaviour after subthalamic stimulation in Parkinson disease.

Background: The effects of subthalamic stimulation (subthalamic nucleus-deep brain stimulation, STN-DBS) on impulsive and compulsive behaviours (ICB) in Parkinson's disease (PD) are understudied.

Objective: To investigate clinical predictors of STN-DBS effects on ICB.

Methods: In this prospective, open-label, multicentre study in patients with PD undergoing bilateral STN-DBS, we assessed patients preoperatively and at 6-month follow-up postoperatively.

Personalised Advanced Therapies in Parkinson's Disease: The Role of Non-Motor Symptoms Profile.

Device-aided therapies, including levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel infusion, apomorphine subcutaneous infusion, and deep brain stimulation, are available in many countries for the management of the advanced stage of Parkinson's disease (PD). Currently, selection of device-aided therapies is mainly focused on patients' motor profile while non-motor symptoms play a role limited to being regarded as possible exclusion criteria in the decision-making process for the delivery and sustenance of a successful treatment. Differential beneficial effects on specific non-motor symptoms of the currently available device-aided therapies for PD are emerging and these could hold relevant clinical implications.

Evaluation of the effect of bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation on fatigue in Parkinson's Disease as measured by the non-motor symptoms scale.

Background: Fatigue is a common and disabling non-motor symptom (NMS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, the effect of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on fatigue has not been widely studied.

Objective: To determine the effect of STN DBS on fatigue in PD patients, measured by the Non-motor symptoms scale (NMSS).

Non-motor predictors of 36-month quality of life after subthalamic stimulation in Parkinson disease.

To identify predictors of 36-month follow-up quality of life (QoL) outcome after bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD). In this ongoing, prospective, multicenter international study (Cologne, Manchester, London) including 73 patients undergoing STN-DBS, we assessed the following scales preoperatively and at 6-month and 36-month follow-up: PD Questionnaire-8 (PDQ-8), NMSScale (NMSS), Scales for Outcomes in PD (SCOPA)-motor examination, -activities of daily living, and -complications, and levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD). We analyzed factors associated with QoL improvement at 36-month follow-up based on (1) correlations between baseline test scores and QoL improvement, (2) step-wise linear regressions with baseline test scores as independent and QoL improvement as dependent variables, (3) logistic regressions and receiver operating characteristic curves using a dichotomized variable "QoL responders"/"non-responders".

Cross-sectional analysis of the Parkinson's disease Non-motor International Longitudinal Study baseline non-motor characteristics, geographical distribution and impact on quality of life.

Growing evidence suggests that non-motor symptoms (NMS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) have differential progression patterns that have a different natural history from motor progression and may be geographically influenced. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1607 PD patients of whom 1327 were from Europe, 208 from the Americas, and 72 from Asia. The primary objective was to assess baseline non-motor burden, defined by Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) total scores.

A plea for equitable global access to COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccination and therapy: The NeuroCOVID-19 Task Force of the European Academy of Neurology.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a multi-organ disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to challenge health and care systems around the globe. The pandemic has disrupted acute neurology services and routine patient care and has impacted the clinical course in patients with chronic neurological disease. COVID-19 appears to have exposed inequalities of societies and healthcare systems and had a disproportionate impact on already vulnerable communities.