Profile of idiopathic parkinson's disease in Moroccan patients.

Objective: To characterize clinical aspects of Idiopathic Parkinson's disease from a movement disorders consultation in University Hospital of Rabat.

Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of 117 patients with diagnosis of Idiopathic Parkinson's disease seen in our outpatient clinic from 2006 to 2011.

Results: Mean age was 64 ± 10 years with predominance of men (61.5%). Mean age at disease onset was 57 ± 11 years. Early onset Parkinson's Disease was recorded in 12.8%. The median duration of disease was 5 years. Initial symptom appeared on the right side in 56.5%. Tremor presentation was the most frequent (40.2%). Symptom severity was mild to moderate in 80% of cases (UPDRS < 30). Forty four per cent of patients were receiving both Dopamine Agonists and Levodopa and in 69% of cases Levodopa was introduced within the first year following onset. The mean Levodopa Equivalent Doses (LED) was 667 ± 446 mg/day. Motor complications were found in 42% with motor fluctuations in 28.7% and 2dyskinesias in 26.7%. Non motor complications are represented mainly by autonomic disorders (44%). There were no differences in the clinical presentation related to the age at onset. Age of onset < 45 and LED > 600 mg are identified as risk factors for motor fluctuations whereas duration of Levodopa treatment is a risk factor of dyskinesias.

Conclusion: Our patients are younger compared to most series with high prevalence of early onset forms. In the majority of cases, Levodopa was introduced within the first year following onset which expose patients to dyskinesias early in the course of the disease.