Trace blood elements and severity of Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the nervous system and it seems that disturbances in trace elements homeostasis mediate progression of the disease. This study aimed to compare the levels of trace elements (Fe, Cu and Zn) in various stages of Parkinson's disease and to assess their correlation with the severity of the disease. Methods: Serum concentrations of trace elements were measured via Hitachi 902 biochemistry analysis in 109 patients with Parkinson's disease. Then, the severity of disease was evaluated and scored in four stages of 1-1.5, 2-2.5, 3, and 4-5 according to Hoehn and Yahr (HY) staging and also motor part of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS III). Findings: All trace elements levels were within normal reference values and did not differ significantly between different Hoehn and Yahr stages (Fe: P = 0.670, Cu: P = 0.540, Zn: P = 0.340). Only patients with higher Hoehn and Yahr stages were older (P = 0.026). When the severity of Parkinson's disease was evaluated using UPDRS III, only there were significant association between age and the scale (P = 0.024). Conclusion: In this study, we confirmed only the age as a factor correlated with severity of Parkinson's disease. To clarify actual role of trace elements in this disease, more precise examination should be designed. © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.