STN-DBS does not increase the risk of sialorrhea in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease

Francesco Bove; Danilo Genovese; Martina Petracca; Tommaso Tufo; Danila Pisani; Maria Rita Lo Monaco; Anna Rita Bentivoglio; Paolo Calabresi; Carla Piano

doi:10.1038/s41531-022-00348-1

STN-DBS does not increase the risk of sialorrhea in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease

NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2022 Jun 29;8(1):85. doi: 10.1038/s41531-022-00348-1.

Authors

Francesco Bove^{1

2}, Danilo Genovese^{1

2}, Martina Petracca³, Tommaso Tufo⁴, Danila Pisani², Maria Rita Lo Monaco^{5

6}, Anna Rita Bentivoglio^{1

2}, Paolo Calabresi^{1

2}, Carla Piano¹

Affiliations

¹ Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
² Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
³ Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. martina.petracca@policlinicogemelli.it.
⁴ Neurosurgery Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁵ Medicine of Ageing, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁶ Department of Geriatrics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

The aims of this study were to assess the incidence rate and risk factors for sialorrhea in the long-term follow-up in a cohort of 132 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease [88 with deep brain stimulation (DBS) and 44 on medical treatment]. The incidence rate of sialorrhea did not differ between the two groups; male sex, Hoehn and Yahr stage and dysphagia resulted risk factors for sialorrhea. These findings indicate that DBS does not increase the risk of developing sialorrhea.