Falls are common events in Parkinson disease (PD) but only a few prospective studies have focused on causes and consequences of falls in PD patients. The aim of the study was prospective analysis of direct causes and consequences of falls in PD patients in comparison to the control group. One hundred PD patients and 55 age-matched controls were enrolled in the study. The diagnostic workup in all patients included neurological examination, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography, ultrasonography, otolaryngological, ophthalmological and autonomic function examination. During 12 months of follow-up, falls were registered in both groups, direct causes were classified according to the St. Louis and Olanow classification, and consequences were established. Falls occurred in 54% of PD patients and in 18% of control subjects. Analysis of direct causes of falls revealed that sudden falls were the most common (31%), followed by episodes of freezing and festination (19.6%), neurological and sensory disturbances (mostly vertigo) (12%), environmental factors (12%), postural instability (11%), orthostatic hypotension (4%), and severe dyskinesia (3.6%); 6.19% of falls were unclassified; 22% of patients had the same etiology of subsequent falls. In PD patients, intrinsic factors were dominant, whereas in the control group intrinsic and extrinsic factors occurred with the same frequency. Every third fall intensified fear of walking. 34% of falls caused injuries; among them bruises of body parts other than the head were most frequent. Intrinsic factors are the most common causes of falls in PD. Every third fall intensifies fear of walking and causes injuries. Upadki są częstymi objawami choroby Parkinsona (ChP). Dotychczas jednak tylko w kilku badaniach oceniano przyczyny i konsekwencje upadków w ChP. Celem badania była prospektywna analiza przyczyn bezpośrednich oraz konsekwencji upadków u pacjentów z ChP w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną. Do badania zostało włączonych 100 chorych na ChP oraz 55 dobranych pod względem wieku osób z grupy kontrolnej. U wszystkich chorych przeprowadzono badanie neurologiczne, ocenę za pomocą Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, badanie za pomocą rezonansu magnetycznego, elektroencefalografię i ultrasonografię, badanie otolaryngologiczne i okulistyczne oraz badanie czynności autonomicznych. Podczas 12-miesięcznej obserwacji upadki rejestrowano w obu badanych grupach. Przyczyny bezpośrednie upadków podzielono zgodnie z klasyfikacją St. Louis i Olanowa, określano także konsekwencje upadków. Upadki wystąpiły u 54% chorych na ChP i 18% osób z grupy kontrolnej. Najczęstsze były upadki nagłe (31%), następnie epizody zamrożeń i dreptania (19,6%), zaburzenia neurologiczne i czuciowe (zawroty głowy) (12%), czynniki zewnętrzne (12%), niestabilność postawy (11%), niedociśnienie ortostatyczne (4%), nasilone dyskinezy (3,6%). Upadki niesklasyfikowane stanowiły 6,19%. U 22% chorych etiologia kolejnych upadków była jednakowa. U chorych na ChP dominowały czynniki wewnętrzne, a w grupie kontrolnej częstości czynników wewnętrznych i zewnętrznych były podobne. Co trzeci upadek nasilał lęk przed chodzeniem, 34% upadków powodowało obrażenia, najczęściej sduczenia. Czynniki wewnętrzne są najczęstszymi przyczynami upadków w ChP. Co trzeci upadek nasila lęk przed chodzeniem oraz powoduje obrażenia.

Gut microbiome and colonic inflammation can be associated with the predisposition and progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The presented study aimed to compare gastrointestinal microbiota composition between patients diagnosed with PD and treated only with Levodopa to healthy controls. In this prospective study, patients were recruited in 1 academic hospital from July 2019 to July 2020. The detailed demographic data and medical history were collected using a set of questionnaires. Fecal samples were obtained from all participants. Next-Generation Sequencing was used to assess the microbiota composition. The endpoint was the difference in composition of the gut microbiota. In this study, we enrolled 27 hospitalized PD patients with well-controlled symptoms. The control group included 44 healthy subjects matched for age. Among PD patients, our results presented a higher abundance of Bacteroides phylum, class Corynebacteria among phylum Actinobacteria, class Deltaproteobacteria among phylum Proteobacteria, and genera such as Butyricimonas, Robinsoniella, and Flavonifractor. The species Akkermansia muciniphila, Eubacterium biforme, and Parabacteroides merdae were identified as more common in the gut microbiota of PD patients. In conclusion, the patients diagnosed with PD have significantly different gut microbiota profiles in comparison with healthy controls.

Research from JAMA Neurology — A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Latrepirdine in Patients With Mild to Moderate Huntington Disease

The type of diet not only affects the composition of the oral microflora but is also one of the more critical factors associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, PD. This study compared diet preferences and oral microbiota profiles in patients with PD vs. healthy controls. This study compared the oral microbiota composition of 59 patients with PD and 108 healthy controls (without neurodegeneration) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. According to results, oral microbiota in patients with PD is different compared from healthy controls. In particular, decreased abundance of Proteobacteria, Pastescibacteria, and Tenercutes was observed. The oral cavity of patients with PD was characterized by the high relative abundance of bacteria from the genera Prevotella, Streptococcus, and Lactobaccillus. There were also differences in food preferences between patients with PD and healthy controls, which revealed significantly higher intake of margarine, fish, red meat, cereals products, avocado, and olives in the patients with PD relative to healthy controls. Strong positive and negative correlations between specific food products and microbial taxa were identified.