Objective: To investigate prevalence and clinical impact of fatigue in the patients with progressive supranuclear palsy

Background: Fatigue is a common and disabling non-motor symptom (NMS) in parkinsonism, but it has been poorly understood in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). In the present study, the relationship between fatigue and other NMS in the patient with PSP was investigated.

Method: In the present study, 59 PSP patients were analyzed. The Parkinson’s disease fatigue scale (PFS) was used to assess fatigue and we divide the patients into primary fatigue (mean PFS ≥ 3.3 and Beck depression inventory (BDI) < 16), secondary fatigue (mean PFS ≥ 3.3 and BDI ≥ 18), and non-fatigue groups (mean PFS < 3.3). The PSP rating scale (PSPRS), Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS), NMS scale (NMSS), Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) and Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT).

Results: The prevalence of fatigue was 37.3% (22/59) in PSP patients. Fourteen were primary fatigue and 8 were secondary fatigue. Primary fatigue had higher score in NMSS and PDQ-39 summary index (PDQ-39 SI) compared to the non-fatigue, and secondary fatigue group showed higher score in mentation (PSPRS), NMSS, PDQ-39 SI and SCOPA-AUT compared to the non-fatigue group. The PFS had positive correlation with NMSS and PDQ-39 SI, but not with SCOPA-AUT in Spearman partial correlation analysis.

Conclusion: Fatigue is common in PSP and well correlated with other NMSs. The pathophysiology and clinical impact of fatigue on PSP are largely unknown. Further studies are needed to figure out the pathophysiology and treatment of PSP.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/fatigue-in-patients-with-progressive-supranuclear-palsy/