Objective: Investigate the prevalence and characteristics of headache in PD patients, acknowledge the existing relation within the predominant laterality of the headache and side of the initial motor symptoms of PD, as well as to evaluate the relationship between PD and headache and the consumption of caffeine, mateine, nicotine and alcohol.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder and it affects more than 1% of the elderly population worldwide.Headache is one of the most frequent neurological disorders, however this comorbidity seems to have a low incidence in PD patients when compared to the general population.

Methods: A retrospective, observational study was performed. 350 PD patients were randomly evaluated, 20 showed headache for 3 months.We collected demographic/clinical data of both disorders and consumer habits.

Results: From 350 PD patients, 5.71%, 11 women and 9 men presented headache.The background was: anxiety (30%), depression (50%), cranial trauma (45%), arterial hypertension (35%).Average time of PD motor symptoms was 8 years with an early onset in 8.Predominant form was tremor, to the right. The UPDRS III showed average score of 14. Hoehn and Yahr criteria average of 2.13. In 16 patients had pre-motor symptoms; 3 of them only presented depression or REM sleep disorder, the others had a combination of them:12 REM sleep disorders, 10 depressions, 8 constipations and 5 hyposmias.Main type of headache was tensional (75%), bilateral onset (14), starting at an average age of 48.40 years.Severity was mild with an average frequency of 2.7 days per week. On half of them headache started before PD motor-symptoms.In six patients there was a close chronological correlation between headache and the antiParkinsonian drug intake.70% were regular coffee consumers and mate consumers.40% of them consumed 2 cups of tea per day, and 45% consumed alcohol.8 had a smoking history and 3 were smokers.

Conclusions: This study shows a low prevalence of headache in patients with PD.Most had tensional headache, more females.No correlation between location of headache and initial motor PD symptoms.30% of cases headache was triggered by antiParkinsonian drugs.Coffee and mate consumption for an average of 30 years was observed in 70% while 50% had been exposed to tobacco for 13 years, which raises the issue of their PD protective factors.A larger number of patients are needed to validate our findings.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/headache-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-pilot-study-results/