Influence of dyskinesia on falls and injuries caused by falls in people with Parkinson's disease: A PPMI prospective cohort study

• Grant number: 24/06357-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Maria Sbeghen Ferreira de Freitas
• Grantee: Lucas Henrique Caetano Carmona dos Santos
• Supervisor: Paulo Henrique Silva Pelicioni
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa e Extensão. Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/14200-0 - Postural control in Parkinson's disease: Mechanisms, clinical characteristics and falls, BP.MS

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease, is characterised by the presence of several motor symptoms, such as bradykinesia, tremor, and muscle rigidity. The primary antiparkinsonian medication is Levodopa, which has a function to "replace" the missing or non-existent dopamine in the substantia nigra pars compacta that caused the disease. Although, it is effective on some motor symptoms, an adverse effect of Levodopa is dyskinesia characterized by involuntary movements that occurs in several parts of the body. Whether dyskinesia is a risk factor for recurrent falls in people with PD is still unclear. Therefore, the objectives of this project are to (i) assess falls using cross-sectional analysis and prospective follow-up comparing people with PD with and without dyskinesia and (ii) examine the contributors to falls in people with and without dyskinesia. Data from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) will be used. Demographic data, socioeconomics, family history, PD diagnosis history, MDS-UPDRS (all parts), Hoehn & Yahr, initiation of dopaminergic therapy, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, SCales for Outcomes in PArkinson's disease - Autonomic Dysfunction (SCOPA-AUT), Geriatric Depression Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, occurrences and consequences of falls, and freezing of gait experience will be extracted and analysed in two groups according to the presence (dyskinesia group) or not (non-dyskinesia group) of dyskinesia assessed by part IV of the Movement Disorders Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). This project will be performed in 12 weeks between September and November of 2024 at the University of New South Wales. The PPMI dataset is international, and results can be comprehensive in Brazilian and World populations.