Objective: To determine the prevalence, severity and characteristics of pain assessed by the King’s Parkinson’s Disease Pain Scale (KPPS), and to analyze factors associated with pain severity among patients with Parkinson’s disease at Military Hospital 103.
Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included 59 patients with Parkinson's disease who were examined and treated at Military Hospital 103 between June 2025 and March 2026. Among them, 55 patients reporting pain were assessed using the King's Parkinson's Disease Pain Scale (KPPS). Pain characteristics were described according to the seven KPPS domains and the total KPPS score. The association between pain severity (mild vs. moderate-to-severe) and clinical factors was explored using univariate analysis, with results reported as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).
Results: Pain was reported in 55 of 59 patients (93.2%). Among patients with pain, the median total KPPS score was 11 (IQR: 5–23), with a mean score of 16.6 ± 18.9. Mild, moderate, and severe pain accounted for 70.9%, 23.6%, and 5.5% of cases, respectively. Musculoskeletal pain was the most common KPPS domain, affecting 51 of 55 patients (92.7%). Univariate analysis showed that moderate-to-severe pain was more frequent in patients with hyperhidrosis (OR = 3.88; 95% CI: 1.06–14.15) and bladder dysfunction (OR = 3.50; 95% CI: 1.00–12.27). Patients with moderate-to-severe pain also had higher Beck Depression Inventory scores and cognitive assessment scores than those with mild pain (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Pain is a common symptom in patients with Parkinson's disease, predominantly presenting as mild musculoskeletal pain. In univariate analysis, differences in pain severity were observed according to the presence of hyperhidrosis, bladder dysfunction, Beck Depression Inventory scores, and cognitive assessment scores.