Comparison of the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Male and Female Gender in Patients Diagnosed with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease: A Case of Sakarya Province, Turkey

Abstract

Introduction: The study aims to evaluate the motor, non-motor, cognitive and psychiatric conditions of our patients diagnosed with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (IPD) before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate the effect of the pandemic on male and female genders. Methods: Ninety patients were included in the study. Demographic data such as age, gender, and duration of disease, type of disease of the patients were recorded. Patients were then divided into 2 groups: male and female. Movement disorders of both groups before the pandemic, disease stage determined by H&Y and UPDRS at the admission and after the pandemic, Levodopa equivalent dose used were recorded and all patients were surveyed to evaluate their motor, non-motor, cognitive, and psychiatric conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on male and female genders were investigated. Results: Of the patients, 40 were male and 50 were female. Daytime drowsiness, weakness, impaired walking, constipation, sleep disorders, and inability to turn in the bed worsened compared to the period before the pandemic. Yet, of the psychiatric symptoms, boredom, unhappiness, anhedonia, irritability, and tension were found to increase during the pandemic. There was a statistically significant difference in UPDRS, H&Y and disease stages before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in both groups, especially in the female group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Although it was more pronounced in female patients with IPD diagnosis, both motor and non-motor symptoms were found to worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic in both groups.