An Evaluation of The Relationship Between Falls, Osteoporosis And The Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale In Patients With Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine conditions such as balance disorder, risk of falling, fear of falling, vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis in people with Parkinson's Disease (PD), and their association with the Movement Disorders Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) sub-components, which are used to follow-up these patients. Methods: The study comprised 38 patients who were followed up for idiopathic PD. All the patients’ demographic data, falls efficacy scale, number of falls within the last year, history of fractures, Berg Balance Scale, the MDS-UPDRS sub-components, vitamin D levels, and bone mineral densitometry values were recorded. Results: There was a positive correlation between the MDS-UPDRS Part I and the number of falls and the history of fractures, and a positive correlation with the Hoehn and Yahr scale, and the MDS-UPDRS Part II, III and total and the Berg Balance Scale, the Falls Efficacy Scale, and the number of falls. Our study found that the bone mineral densitometry values for the femoral neck were lower in women than in men, and there was a positive correlation between the bone mineral densitometry values for the femoral neck and the body mass index. A positive correlation was established between levodopa use and the falls efficacy scale. Conclusion: Falls, imbalance, osteoporosis are life-threatening conditions in patients with PD. This study established that the MDS-UPDRS, used to follow-up patients, was associated with these conditions. It is believed that this assessment method may also give an idea about these conditions in PD patients who are followed up using this scale.