Fluctuating pain in Parkinson's disease: Its prevalence and impact on quality of life

Pain is a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, and the incidence of fluctuating pain may be improved by taking levodopa. There are only a few detailed reports regarding fluctuating pain. In this study, 331 PD patients were classified into three groups: no-pain group (67.4%), non-fluctuating pain group (22.1%), and fluctuating pain group (10.6%). We evaluated patients' background and its impact on the quality of life (QOL) of each group. The pain group exhibited higher levels of depression (p
Highlights • Clinical characteristics of fluctuating pain in Parkinson's disease • The prevalence of pain in PD was 10.6%, of which 32.4% showed fluctuating pain. • Fluctuating pain is related to younger age of onset and severity of disease. • Pain affects the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease.