Back problems in Parkinson’s disease: an underestimated problem

Study design. – Cross-sectional survey.Objectives. – To estimate the extent of back pain in Parkinson's disease (PD).Summary of background data. – PD is a common and disabling condition during the course of which back pain may develop. In contrast, the literature on the epidemiology of back pain in PD is poor.Methods. – Patients with PD, seen consecutively in a neurology clinic over a period of 4 months, were inquired about back pain through a self-questionnaire and compared to an age- and sex-matched control group of chronically ill patients.Results. – The study involved 104 parkinsonians (mean age: 67.3 years) who had had PD for an average of 11.6 years, and 100 controls (mean age: 65.8 years) who had chronic heart disease or diabetes for an average of 14.2 years. Sixty-two parkinsonians and 23 controls reported back pain. The prevalence was 59.6% in the parkinsonian group and 23.0% in the control group (P < 0.0001). Pain severity was evaluated with a visual analogic scale and averaged 54 ± 23 mm in parkinsonians and 41 ± 19 mm in control (P < 0.0001).Conclusions. – Chronic back pain is quite common in PD. It is responsible for a substantial functional impact and needs more attention to reduce disability of such patients.