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The supply of primary care physicians is associated with better health outcomes and a lower total cost of health services. However, the effect of the presence or absence of primary care physicians on health-related quality of life (QOL) is unknown. We comparatively investigated the health-related QOL of ordinary citizens according to the presence or absence of a primary care physician.We conducted an observational cross-sectional study using a propensity score analysis. A questionnaire on health-related QOL (SF-36v2, age, gender, presence or absence of a primary care physician, and chronic disease status) was mailed to 2200 individuals identified through stratified random sampling. We used propensity scores to compensate for covariates and analyzed three component SF-36 summary scores and subscale scores of the "primary care physician" and "no primary care physician" groups.Valid responses were received from 1095 individuals (49.8%). The "primary care physician group" comprised 653 individuals (59.6%). The physical health component scores of the "primary care physician group" were significantly lower than those of the "no primary care physician group," and the "mental health component" scores were significantly higher (Patients who had a primary care physician with whom they could comfortably consult at any time had a high mental health component score, and low physical health component score in the health-related QOL.

A 66‐year‐old British man was referred to our department because of a 2.5 year history of bilateral paroxysmal weakness of the lower limbs. It occurred when he walked for about 10 minutes, so he would stop in place and spontaneously rest for up to 15 minutes. When carbamazepine 200 mg/day was administered, the severity and frequency of the symptoms reduced by half and resolved when the dose was increased to 300 mg/day. Even if no involuntary movement is observed, paroxysmal exercise‐induced dyskinesia should be considered in patients with paroxysmal painless gait disturbance, and a therapeutic trial of anticonvulsants may be helpful., Paroxysmal dyskinesias are a group of movement disorders characterized by attacks of hyperkinesia, which include combinations of dystonia, choreoathetosis, and ballism with intact consciousness. There are different subtypes of paroxysmal dyskinesias that include paroxysmal exercise‐induced dyskinesia (PED), paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), paroxysmal non‐kinesigenic dyskinesia (PNKD), and paroxysmal hypnogenic dyskinesia (PHD). Even if no involuntary movement is observed, paroxysmal exercise‐induced dyskinesia should be considered in patients with paroxysmal painless gait disturbance, and a therapeutic trial of anticonvulsants may be helpful.