Objective: We investigated the vehicle driving situation, clinical signs and symptoms of PD patients to obtain the information for safe driving.

Background: PD neurologists are required to give advice to patients and the family for safe driving. However, we do not have enough information to achieve the consultation.

Methods: PD patients and their families were interviewed at the hospital using a questionnaire requiring information from the patients (such as age, sex, symptoms of PD by H&Y classification and UPDRS, medical treatments, MoCA-J, MMSE, Epworth sleepiness Scale, Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in PD) and their families. We also investigated: the duration and frequency of driving; their own estimation about driving ability; experience of receiving advice not to drive a car; the reasons not to drive in cases that stopped driving; the conditions of traffic accidents in which they were involved; and an evaluation of the family on the PD patient’s ability to drive.

Results: We studied 140 cases of PD who consulted the clinic in August 2014. Mean age was 66.9 years old. H&Y classification (on time) was mean 2.7 and UPDRS scores of part III was mean 27.3. Total Levodopa equivalent dose (LED) was 551mg/day. On their cognitive evaluation, mean MMSE was 27.6 points and mean MoCA-J was 22.9 points. ESS score was mean 4.4 points and QUIP score was mean 0.4 points. Seven percent of patients responded their driving ability did not change after PD onset, Twenty-seven percent of them got slow reaction of driving. Thirty-three percent of patients were advised not to drive. Almost all of them stopped driving following advice from their family. On traffic accidents while driving, 14 patients caused personal injuries or serious accidents. There were no significant differences at age, sex, period of driver, MoCA-J scores and ESS scores between them and those who did not have accidents. But their MMSE scores was lower and Total LED dosage was more than who did not have accidents. H&Y classification >III and higher QUIP score indicate the incidence of serious accidents.

Conclusions: Raisings of MMSE, UPDRS scores and Total LED dosage are the factors to increase the risk of traffic accidents. Score of H&Y>III may indicate the time to give the advice. High scores of QUIP will be an independent risk factor of serious traffic accidents, and can be applied for the consultation of safe driving.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/investigation-of-driving-ability-to-drive-safely-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-by-interview/