Objective: We conducted an ambispective cohort study, with the largest number of involved patients for now, to assess whether the different side-of-onset could affect the symptoms, progression, and prognosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Background: In most PD patients, the onset of motor symptoms is primarily unilateral. Due to the lateralization of the cerebral function and the role of impaired dopaminergic transmission, whether side-of-onset of PD causes clinical differences stays intriguing and unclear. The sample size of previous studies was very limited, and the conclusions were contradictory.
Method: Demographic, genetics, medical history, and assessments of motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms were collected from 494 left-onset (LOPD) and 492 right-onset (ROPD) patients. Stage of the disease was categorized according to the modified Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y). In addition, patients were divided into the early stage group (H&Y＜3) and the middle-late stage group (H&Y≥3) for subgroup analyses.
Results: There was no significant difference in neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms, motor symptoms, and other non-motor symptoms between LOPD and ROPD (all p＞0.05) [figure1]. Among common PD-related genes, the number and distribution of LOPD and ROPD in different genotypes was similar [table1]. In the early stage group, scores of the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) in LOPD was significantly lower than ROPD (p＜0.05) [figure2]. In the middle-late stage group, age of onset in LOPD was significantly younger than ROPD (p＜0.05) [figure3].
Conclusion: The different side-of-onset has no effect on symptoms, progression, and prognosis of PD. Therefore, same treatment and intervention can be taken for different side-of-onset PD patients. For patients with LOPD, they may show better quality of life early in the disease. Further inclusion and follow-up will compare and reveal more information of different side-of-onset in PD.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
X. Huang, Y. Huang, C. Liu, X. Huang, Y. Zhang, Q. Ye. Effects of Different Side-of-onset on Symptoms, Progression, and Prognosis in Parkinson’s Disease [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2020; 35 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-different-side-of-onset-on-symptoms-progression-and-prognosis-in-parkinsons-disease/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to MDS Virtual Congress 2020
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-different-side-of-onset-on-symptoms-progression-and-prognosis-in-parkinsons-disease/