Session Information
Date: Monday, September 23, 2019
Session Title: Restless Leg Syndrome, RBD and Other Sleep Disorders
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Les Muses Terrace, Level 3
Objective: To evaluate the blink rate (BR), tear function, and, corneal parameters of patients with iRBD.
Background: In patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), dry eye symptoms are frequently observed, and reduced blink rate, tear dysfunction, and corneal thinning are also reported. Idiopathic RBD (iRBD) is known to progress to various neurodegenerative syndromes, including PD, at one-third to five years and more than 75% to ten years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the blink rate (BR), tear function, and, corneal parameters of patients with iRBD.
Method: We recruited 31 patients with PSG confirmed iRBD (mean age: 64.39±6.98 years, M:F=19:12) and 31 age-matched healthy controls (mean age: 62.42±6.14 years, M:F=7:24). Mean disease duration of iRBD was 41.9±36.93 months. All those with other diseases that cause eye dryness, such as keratitis, conjunctivitis, glaucoma, diabetes, and ocular trauma, were excluded. All participants underwent a detailed neurological and ophthalmological evaluation. The severity of RBD was measured according to RBD questionnaire-Korean version (RBDQ-KR). A SCOPA-AUT questionnaire was used to evaluate the autonomic function, and a KVSS test was used to evaluate the olfactory function. BR was measured by the same tester for 1 minute, and a total of 2 measurements were made and the mean value was used. Corneal parameters were measured by ophthalmology specialist. Tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer test, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scores were assessed.
Results: The BR were significantly lower in patients with iRBD than in controls (18.29±5.68 VS. 21.71±6.29, p=0.028). Corneal parameters, Schirmer test, TBUT, and OSDI revealed no significant difference between two groups.
Conclusion: Compared to previous studies involving PD patients, iRBD patients in the study showed that only the BR has significantly decreased. This is probably because the neurodegenerative change of iRBD patients is less than that of PD patients. However, since BR is known to reflect striatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic activity, the reduced BR may reflect a neurodegenerative change in patients with iRBD. The research is small and cross-sectional design has its limitations. A follow-up study involving a larger number of patients will be needed.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
S. You, KT. Kim, J. Jun, YW. Cho. Evaluation of corneal parameters in patients with idiopathic REM Sleep Behavior Disorder [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2019; 34 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/evaluation-of-corneal-parameters-in-patients-with-idiopathic-rem-sleep-behavior-disorder/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2019 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/evaluation-of-corneal-parameters-in-patients-with-idiopathic-rem-sleep-behavior-disorder/