Non-Motor Symptoms in Thai Patients with Parkinson’s Disease Studied at Phramongkutklao Hospital
Kiratikorn Vongvaivanich MD*, Samart Nidhinandana MD*, Chesda Udommongkol MD, PhD*, Parnsiri Chairungsaris MD*, Yotin Chinvarun MD, PhD*, Wanna Wongmek MD*, Seema Suphakasem MD*, Jithanorm Suwantamee MD*, Pasiri Sithinamsuwan MD*
Affiliation : * Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Phramongkutklao Hospital and College of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : Non-motor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been recently recognized to be as disabling as
motor symptoms in PD. However, these symptoms are still under recognized causing delay in treatment and inadequate
management. This study aimed to identify NMS in Thai PD patients using the NMS screening questionnaire (NMSQuest).
Material and Method: Patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease visiting the neurology clinic in 2008 were enrolled.
NMSQuest-Thai version (NMSQ-T) was applied to patients to identify NMS.
Results : Collected data from questionnaires completed by 165 probable idiopathic PD was analyzed. The demographic
profiles showed mean age of 68.6 years with mean disease duration 5.4 years, and male 56.4%. Patients had Hoehn &
Yahr staging, stage-2: 43%, stage-3: 24.8%, stage-1: 24.2% and stage-4: 7.9%. The average dosage of levodopa was 456.4
mg/d.
Mean total NMSQ-T score was 9.5. Most prevalent of non-motor symptom was nocturia (64.2%). The domains
which gained most positive answers were urinary domain (54.55%). Inter-domain correlations were significantly found in
all, except the sexual domain. Multivariate analysis revealed the duration of PD and stages were significantly correlated with
the total score of NMS. Only three percent denied having any non-motor symptoms.
Conclusion : Almost all Thai PD had NMS. Urinary domain is the most prevalent in our series. Screening using NMSQ-T to
recognize NMS would be a helpful tool to improve the quality of life in Thai Parkinson’s disease.
Keywords : Non-motor symptoms, NMS, Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, Thai
