[Drug-induced parkinsonism. Clinical aspects compared with Parkinson disease].

INTRODUCTION

Drug-induced Parkinsonism (DIP) is the second commonest cause of Parkinson syndrome, after Parkinson disease (PD) and represents between 10% and 30% of all patients with Parkinsonism.

OBJECTIVES

To study the frequency and drugs responsible for DIP and to compare some of the clinical characteristics of these patients and those with PD.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A retrospective community based study in Bajo Aragon district to determine the frequency of PD and other Parkinsonism, including DIP. PD was diagnosed on the criteria proposed by the United Kingdom Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank and DIP on the criteria of Jiménez et al.

RESULTS

Calcium antagonists were the cause of 73% of the DIP, followed by neuroleptic drugs (11.5%). There were 73% women (19/26). The patients with DIP were older than those with PD when their symptoms started (p = 0.02). In patients with DIP, 48% presented with bilateral symptoms as compared with 7% in PD (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

1. Cinarizine is the main drug responsible for DIP (58%) 2. As compared with patients with PD, patients with DIP are mainly women, older, more frequently have bilateral onset of symptoms and consult the doctor sooner.