Pain-pressure threshold in patients with Parkinson's disease with and without dyskinesia.

The objective of this study was to determine if Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with dyskinesia have a lower pain pressure threshold (PPT) than patients without dyskinesia and healthy controls. This was an outpatient, controlled study. We studied 25 healthy controls, 25 PD patients without dyskinesia and 25 PD patients with dyskinesia. A J Tech Pain Track algometer was used to measure PPT. No differences were found in PPT between controls and PD patients with or without dyskinesia. Patients and control women had a lower PPT than men. In conclusion, the presence of dyskinesia in PD patients does not appear to decrease PPT.