PREVALENCE OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE IN CANADA

 September 13, 2012

Parkinsonism Related Disorders [2012] 18 (4) : 327-331 (Allyson Jones C, Wayne Martin WR, Wieler M, King-Jesso P, Voaklander DC.) 

The prevalence of Parkinson's Disease in Canada has been found to be one of the highest of any country in the world. The study was carried out in British Columbia, Canada. The prevalence rates amongst men were found to be 396-207 per 100,000 for men, and 259 to 127 per 100,000 for women. Combining the figures for both men and women gives figures of around 317 to 167 per 100,00.

These figures are just about higher than those in the U.S.A., which has one of the highest prevalence rates of any country. The only countries with higher prevalence rates than Canada are Albania and Egypt, where the prevalence rates are exceptionally high. The ratio of men to women with Parkinson's Disease in Canada is 1.56. As in most countries in the world, in Canada there are more men than women with Parkinson's Disease.

THE SAFETY AND TOLERABILITY OF NEUPRO

9th September 2012 -

 

Parkinsonism Related Disorders [2012] Sep 3 [Epub ahead of print] (Oertel W, Lewitt P, Giladi N, Ghys L, Grieger F, Boroojerdi B.) 

Although dopamine agonists are sometimes perceived as poorly tolerated by the elderly, there is little clinical evidence to support these concerns. So the safety and tolerability of rotigotine transdermal system have been assessed in four 6-month studies. : two in early Parkinson's Disease and two in advanced Parkinson's Disease.Neupro® (Rotigotine Transdermal System) is a dopamine

For most adverse events no age-related differences in were observed. In early Parkinson's Disease those symptoms more common in those younger than 65 in comparison to those who were 65 were : nausea (38% v 30%) and headache (15% v 9%). In another study, amongst older patients, those symptoms more common in those younger than 75 in comparison to those who were 75 were : nausea (36% v 21%), and dizziness (15% v 28%). In people with advanced Parkinson's Disease it was still the younger patients that more commonly had nausea (24% v 19%). It was only falls that were more common in older patients (13% v 8%). So oddly, the adverse events of this dopamine agonists were generally less rather than greater with age, as if the adverse events were adapted to.

NFL PLAYERS TREBLE THE RISK OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

 September  2012 - New research

 

Neurology [2012] Sep 5 [Epub ahead of print] (Lehman EJ, Hein MJ, Baron SL, Gersic CM.) 

Players in the NFL ("American" Football's National Football League) were found to have treble the risk of haiving a neurodegenerative disease generally. This included Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease and ALS. The figures for Alzheimer's Disease were more than three times more likely, and the figures for ALS were more than four times more likely. The likelihood of developing Parkinson's Disease was less than these. Although the research suggests that concussions and repeated blows to the head are likely to blame for the increased risk, the researcher says multiple studies are needed to definitively blame concussions.