Treatment options?
Following the study presentation, session co-chair Philippe G. Damier, MD, PhD, professor of neurology, University Hospital, Nantes, France, asked about the best treatment for sialorrhea for these patients.
In general, those with milder disease might try chewing gum to improve swallowing; patients with more severe cases may benefit from botulinum toxin injections, said Dr. Cociasu. The treatment choice, she added, “very much depends on the severity of the sialorrhea.”
Botulinum toxin therapy involves injections into the salivary gland to reduce saliva production. It is typically administered about every 4 months.
The second session co-chair, Elena Moro, MD, PhD, director of the Movement Disorders Unit at Grenoble Alpes University, France, pointed out that chewing gum may be a swallowing hazard for patients with PD and severe dementia.
Asked by Dr. Moro whether patients with higher scores on balance and posture were more likely to have sialorrhea, Dr. Cociasu said she and her colleagues are currently looking into this.
Dr. Morgante said that the current study did not examine the effect of treatment on speech disorders associated with sialorrhea. “We are running another study now to understand the effect of treatment of sialorrhea on these features,” she said.
Dr. Morgante and Dr. Cociasu have reported no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.