Objective: We aimed to evaluate frequency of falls as a presenting symptom and its effect on prognosis in PSP patients.

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy is a rapidly progressing parkinsonian disorder with multiple clinical phenotypes. Falls as presenting symptom or falls in the early phases of the disease is related with increased mortality and morbidity.

Method: We included patients followed at Movement Disorders Outpatient Clinic of Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine with diagnosis of PSP according to Movement Disorder Society (MDS)- PSP 2017 criteria. Patients demographic data, their presenting symptom and disease progression and the effect of fall on increased mortality and morbidity were analyzed using Chi- Square and Kaplan Meier Survival Curve Anaysis. Data were obtained retrospectively from patient files

Results: Thirty seven patients followed between 2006-2022 were included in the study. The mean age of onset was 64,1 ± 6,5 years ( ranging 51-79 ), mean age of diagnosis was 67,2 ± 6,1 years ( ranging 56- 80). First symptom was unprovoked falls in 15 patients (%41). Sixteen of the 22 patients ( %73) whose first symptom wasn’t unprovoked falls developed falls in 1.6 years after the first symptom. Patients with falls as presenting symptom were inclined to develop disphagia earlier (3,07 years vs 3,75 years (P=0,237) ) and their survival was poor.

Conclusion: PSP is a multsymptomatic disease which can effect multipl neuroanatomic structure. Falls, which is one the core symptom of PSP, is an important prognostic factor. Undestanding of falls in PSP and development of fall preventing therapies can decrease mortality and morbidity of PSP.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/frequency-of-falls-as-a-presenti%cc%87ng-symptom-and-its-effect-i%cc%87n-prognosi%cc%87s-i%cc%87n-progressi%cc%87ve-supranuclear-palsy/