Autonomic nervous function in progressive supranuclear palsy
J. G. van Dijk, J. Haan, M. Koenderink and R. A. Roos
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
Autonomic nervous function was assessed in 11 patients with progressive
supranuclear palsy, 26 patients with Parkinson's disease, matched for age,
medications, disease severity, and disease duration, and 19 age-matched
controls. Results of both parasympathetic (heart rate response to deep
breathing and Valsalva maneuver) and sympathetic (blood pressure decrease
on standing and increase on sustained handgrip) tests were abnormal in both
patient groups. Abnormalities in the group of patients with progressive
supranuclear palsy were similar to those in the group with Parkinson's
disease but were more pronounced. Autonomic dysfunction may have to be
considered a feature of progressive supranuclear palsy.
