Objective: To determine short and long-term impact of COVID-19 on motor(MS) and non-motor(NMS) symptoms among Tunisian PD patients according to Leucine-rich repeat kinase2 (LRRK2)-carrying status.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a major global stressful event of exceptional international scope. To our knowledge, there were no previous studies exploring the impact of such an event on genetic groups of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Method: In a longitudinal retrospective study, a survey assessing changes of MS and NMS in PD patients was conducted in two steps: T1(short-term) in May-June2020 and T2(long-term) in May-June2021. Resilience was evaluated with the Brief Resilience Scale(BRS). Participants were screened for G2019S-LRRK2 mutation.

Results: We included 110 patients (37% LRRK2-PD) for T1-survey and 52 among them (40% LRRK2-PD) in T2. LRRK2-PD had less perceived aggravation. Significant differences emerged mainly on long-term for NMS concerning dysautonomic symptoms, RBD (p=0.0078), memory disorders (p=0.0137), decreased appetite (p=0.024), apathy (p=0.035), anxiety (p=0.0114) and depression (p=0.045), all more affected in non-LRRK2-PD. In this group, anxiety and depression were associated to aggravation of all MS and several NMS. LRRK2-PD patients tended to be more resilient (80% vs 68%). Yet, resilience was associated with absence of aggravation of MS and NMS only in non-LRRK2-PD.

Conclusion: This is the first study to explore the potential short and long-term effects of COVID-19 pandemic on subjective perceived changes of MS and NMS in particular genotypic PD subgroups. LRRK2-PD patients had less perceived aggravation and were more resilient; while non-LRRK2-PD had more long-term-impaired NMS linked to anxiety, depression and limited resilience.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/short-and-long-term-impact-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-motor-and-non-motor-symptoms-in-leucine-rich-repeat-kinase2-lrrk2-associated-parkinsons-disease/