Highlights
- •Largest SN hyperechogenicity in PD patients did not correlate with UPDRS-III.
- •Side of the largest SN hyperechogenicity was not associated with affected body side.
- •Motor symptoms of PD were not associated with contralateral SN hyperechogenicity.
Abstract
Introduction
The evaluation of hyperechogenicity of the substantia nigra (SN) by transcranial sonography
(TCS) is validated for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its correlation
with the severity of motor involvement is still uncertain.
Methods
We included patients with clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD in a cross-sectional
study. All patients were evaluated with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-motor
score (UPDRS-III) and TCS at the same day with measurement of the area of SN hyperechogenicity
for each side. We analysed the association between the area of SN hyperechogenicity
and the contralateral motor scores of UPDRS-III, adjusting for age and dominance of
the patient (statistical significance set to p < 0.05).
Results
35 patients were analysed, 3 (8.6%) were excluded due to poor temporal acoustic bone
window.
From a total of 32 patients, the mean age was 58.4 (±11.2) years. The mean area of SN hyperechogenicity was: right 0.26 (±0.12) cm2 and left 0.27 (±0.07) cm2. The mean score of UPDRS-III was 18.9 (±6.1). There were no statistically significant association between the scores of the
UPDRS-III (rigidity, tremor and bradykinesia) and the contralateral area of SN hyperechogenicity.
Conclusion
The area of SN hyperechogenicity did not correlate with motor deterioration in Parkinson's
disease.
Abbreviations:
PD (Parkinson's disease), UPDRS-III (Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale-motor score), TCS (Transcranial sonography), SN (Substantia nigra), 123I-FP-CIT (123I-N-3-fluoropropyl-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-4-iodophenyl tropane)Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 02, 2016
Accepted:
March 1,
2016
Received in revised form:
February 14,
2016
Received:
December 28,
2015
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
