Parkinson's Disease - What is New?

Abstract

The prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) will double by 2030. PD is no longer regarded as a single disease entity. Monogenetic forms may appear clinically identical to sporadic PD. The corona pandemic has caused a deterioration in a great proportion of patients due to concerns of accessing medical care. During this time, teleconsultations emerged as a helpful service for many PD patients as they can reliably administer parts of the neurological examination remotely. New studies address the ongoing controversy about whether the use of levodopa should be delayed. The conclusion is that physicians should not be afraid of using levodopa to treat patients early in the course of PD. Furthermore, the role of dopamine agonists is changing. Besides their known high rates of edema, somnolence and hallucinations dopamine agonists are associated with the development of impulse control disorders in approx. half of the treated patients. During the last 10 years, only two new substances (safinamide, opicapone) have come onto the market in Germany, both with the indication as add on therapy to levodopa in patients with fluctuations. The use of deep brain stimulation and drug pumps in patients with levodopa effect fluctuations is growing, because at this point in the course of the disease, patients also accept invasive therapies that can prolong and optimize independence. Patients who need levodopa more than 5 times a day and who have severe, disturbing OFF phases (> 2 hours a day) despite optimal non-levodopa-based treatment can consider these options. PD stage and symptom-focused, guideline-based physiotherapy has a positive effect on the course of the disease, everyday performance and quality of life and reduces the risk of falling. Multidisciplinary networks are proving effective in reducing falls and hospital admissions.