Daijiworld Media Network - London
London, Apr 10: A large UK-based cohort study has revealed changing patterns in Parkinsonism, with differing trends observed across its major subtypes over more than a decade.
The study found that incidence of Parkinson’s disease slightly declined between 2007 and 2019, while its overall prevalence increased. Researchers attributed this divergence to improved survival rates and better long-term care for patients.
In contrast, cases of vascular Parkinsonism have been increasingly recorded since 2010, possibly reflecting better diagnostic recognition. Meanwhile, drug-induced Parkinsonism remained largely stable in both incidence and prevalence throughout the study period.
The analysis, based on primary care data collected between 2007 and 2021, included adults with at least one year of prior medical observation.
The study also highlighted variations based on age and sex. Parkinson’s disease and vascular Parkinsonism were found to be more common in men, whereas drug-induced Parkinsonism showed a slightly higher occurrence in women. The burden of all subtypes increased with age, particularly among those above 70 years.
Among older adults, incidence trends diverged further, with Parkinson’s disease cases declining while vascular Parkinsonism cases rose. Prevalence of Parkinson’s disease, however, continued to increase steadily in older age groups.
Researchers noted that patients with vascular Parkinsonism tended to have higher rates of comorbidities such as stroke, dementia and cardiovascular disease. Those with drug-induced Parkinsonism were more likely to have mental health conditions and prior exposure to medications such as antidepressants and antiepileptics.
The study cautioned that some limitations, including possible misclassification of subtypes and underreporting in primary care records, could affect findings. However, it concluded that as populations age, Parkinsonism is expected to pose a growing clinical burden, making accurate diagnosis and subtype-specific care increasingly important.