Effects of COVID‐19 on Parkinson's disease clinical features: a community‐based case‐control study

Cilia, Roberto; Bonvegna, Salvatore; Straccia, Giulia; Nico, Golfrè Andreasi; Elia, Antonio E.; Romito, Luigi M.; Devigili, Grazia; Cereda, Emanuele; Eleopra, Roberto

The impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) on clinical features of Parkinson's disease (PD) has been poorly characterized so far. Out of 141 PD patients resident in Lombardy, we found twelve COVID‐19 cases (8.5%), whose mean age and disease duration (65.5 and 6.3 years, respectively) were similar to controls. Changes in clinical features in the period January‐April 2020 were compared with those of 36 PD control subjects, matched for sex, age, and disease‐duration, using the clinical impression of severity index for PD, the Movement Disorders Society Unified PD Rating Scale parts II and IV, and the non‐motor symptoms scale. Motor and nonmotor symptoms significantly worsened in the COVID‐19 group, requiring therapy adjustment in one‐third of cases. Clinical deterioration was explained by both infection‐related mechanisms and impaired pharmacokinetics of dopaminergic therapy. Urinary issues and fatigue were the most prominent nonmotor issues. Cognitive functions were marginally involved, while none experienced autonomic failure. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.