Increased bilirubin levels in de novo Parkinson's disease. (5th March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moccia, M.; Picillo, M.; Erro, R.; Longo, K.; Amboni, M.; Santangelo, G.; Palladino, R.; Allocca, R.; Caporale, O.; Triassi, M.; Pellecchia, M. T.; Barone, P.; Vitale, C.
• Is Part Of: European journal of neurology. Volume 22:Number 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 954
• Page End: 959
• Publication Date: 2015-03-05
• Subjects: Neurology -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1111/ene.12688
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-5101

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ene12688-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="ene12688-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background and purpose</title> <p>Oxidative stress is a central pathogenic mechanism of Parkinson's disease (PD), and the heme oxygenase (HO) bilirubin pathway is one of the main mammalian antioxidative defences. Indeed, there is growing evidence of HO−bilirubin upregulation from early phases of PD. Our aim was to investigate bilirubin as a possible biomarker of PD diagnosis and progression.</p> </sec> <sec id="ene12688-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>A cross‐sectional case−control study was performed to evaluate differences in bilirubin levels between newly diagnosed, drug‐naïve PD subjects and controls. Afterwards, PD subjects were included in a 2‐year longitudinal study to evaluate disease progression in relation to baseline bilirubin levels.</p> </sec> <sec id="ene12688-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Seventy‐five <italic>de novo </italic>PD subjects were selected and matched with 75 controls by propensity score. Analysis of variance showed higher bilirubin levels in PD patients compared with controls (<italic>P</italic> < 0.001). Linear regression analysis failed to show a relationship between bilirubin and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part III (<italic>P</italic> = 0.283) at baseline evaluation. At 2‐year follow‐up, indirect relationships between bilirubin levels and UPDRS part III (<italic>P</italic> = 0.028) and between bilirubin levels and levodopa‐equivalent daily dosage (<italic>P</italic> = 0.012) were found.</p> </sec> <sec id="ene12688-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Parkinson's disease subjects showed higher levels of bilirubin compared with controls. Bilirubin increase might be due to HO overexpression as a compensatory response to oxidative stress occurring from early stages of PD.</p> </sec> </abstract>