Gait abnormalities and non-motor symptoms predict abnormal dopaminergic imaging in presumed drug-induced Parkinsonism

Drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) can be clinically indistinguishable from degenerative parkinsonism, and bedside assessments are needed to differentiate between these conditions. We examined 34 U.S. Veterans with DIP using 123 I-FP-CIT (DAT-SPECT) to identify underlying nigrostriatal degeneration. Participants were 94% male with mean age of 64.5 ± 7.1 years. DAT-SPECT was abnormal in 12/34 (35%). Comparing normal and abnormal imaging groups, there were no differences in age, sex, race/ethnicity, psychiatric diagnosis, motor severity, or RBD Screening Questionnaire scores. Those with underlying neurodegeneration reported significantly more non-motor symptoms (NMS), worse olfactory function on the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test, and greater turning duration/steps on the instrumented Timed Up and Go. Area under the curve (AUC) combining poor olfaction and total NMS burden was 0.84 (CI 0.71–0.97), while AUC for turn steps was 0.91 (CI 0.81–1.00). Gait impairment, hyposmia, and NMS may be useful alone and in combination to identify DIP patients with underlying dopaminergic degeneration.