Parkinsonian patients often, in addition to motor symptoms and signs, have autonomic nervous system dysfnction such as constipation, impotence and diminished sweating. Among the symptoms of autonomic failure, alternations in blood pressure
regulation,
such as orthostatic hypotension, were sensitive. In this study, clinical informations, blood pressure, serum dopamine, norepinephrine and/or HVA, and urinary VMA have been investigated in 12 untreated Parkinsonian patients, 7 treated Parkinsonian
patients with L-dopa therapy, and in 8 age matched controls. The mean age at onset of the patients was 57.25±11.69 years, a figure similar to those reported in other series, and the disease occurred more often in females than in males. The
patients
were classified according to Hoehn-Yahr stage into stage I(1 case), stage II (7 cases), stage III (15 cases), stage IV (6 cases).
Of the various autonomic dysfunctional manifestations of Parkinson's disease, considerable problems also were constipation, other gastrointestinal discomforts, dizziness and hypotension.
No significant relationship was found in the Parkinsonian groups and control between serum norepinephrine and HVA, urinary VMA, and alterniations of blood pressure, but in the Parkinsonian patients with L-dopa therapy it showed higher levels of
serum
dopamine and HVA.
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