Objective: This research seeks to explore the relationship between serum concentrations of uric acid (UA) and manganese (Mn) in individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) and vascular parkinsonism (VP).
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 20 patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD, following the UK PD Society Brain Bank criteria, and 20 patients diagnosed with VP, based on Zijlmans' criteria. Participants were enrolled from the movement disorders outpatient clinics at Ain Shams University and Helwan University Hospitals between April and December 2018. Motor impairment and disease severity were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III). Non-fasting blood samples were obtained and centrifuged to determine serum UA and Mn levels.
Results: A significant difference in serum UA and Mn levels was observed between PD and VP patients. VP patients exhibited higher mean UA levels, whereas PD patients had elevated Mn levels. No significant correlation was found between serum UA levels and UPDRS-III scores, daily L-dopa dosage, or disease duration in either group. However, in VP patients, a significant inverse correlation was noted between age, daily L-dopa dosage, UA, and Mn levels. In contrast, no significant correlation was found in PD patients between demographic data (age, sex), clinical data (UPDRS-III scores, disease duration, daily L-dopa dosage), UA levels, MRI findings, and Mn levels.
Conclusion: Serum UA and Mn levels may serve as potential biomarkers to distinguish VP from PD. Mn levels ≥2.15 can differentiate PD from VP with 90% sensitivity and 75% specificity, while UA levels ≤5.35 can distinguish PD from VP with 75% sensitivity and 95% specificity.